SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Habang tumatanda si Serena Williams, siya ay mas nagiging dominante. Sa edad na 33, ang edad na maraming manlalaro ang nag-uumpisa nang mawala, ang kanyang hawak sa women’s tennis ay mas lalong humihigpit.
Tuwing nahaharap sa bagong pagsubok, nakakakita siya ng paraan na malampasan ito, at mas nagiging malakas kada pagkakataon, at ang kanyang pagnanais na manalo ay hindi nawawala.
Noong Linggo, napanalunan niya ang WTA Finals – isang elite tournament na halos kasing halaga ng mga grand slam – sa ikatlong sunod na taon, sa kabila ng mga agam-agam tungkol sa kanyang kalusugan.
Dumating siya sa Singapore na mayroong injured knee at naranasan ang pinakamabigat na pagkatalo sa loob ng 16 taon sa kanyang group match kay Simona Halep na mas bata sa kanya ng 10 taon.
Ngunit makaraang ang apat na araw, binaliktad niya si Halep, at ibinigay sa world number three ang 6-3, 6-0 n a pagkatalo sa final upang muling patunayan na hindi lamang siya ang pinakamalakas na manlalaro sa women’s tennis, kundi maging ang pinakadeterminado.
“It’s great. I didn’t expect to end the year on this note,” sabi niya. “I was just happy to even be competing here.
“It makes everything much more sweeter and satisfying, especially for me. It wasn’t my best year, but I’m just happy to have won one more title this year.”
“I made so many unforced errors in our first match, and I think knowing that she has the ability and the capability to play so well, I knew that I had to step up my game,” saad ni Williams.
“I knew that I had to play a lot better, so I obviously was expecting a much better player than I was in the earlier rounds. But I think being ready for that really was able to help me out.
“It was also good for me to lose that match, because now I know what to expect next year. I really know and I’m ready for that next year. So I know what to go home and work on once pre-season starts.”
Masamang balita ito para sa kanyang mga karibal, nakaraan at kasalukuyan, sa kanyang paglapit sa muling pagtatala ng mga rekord sa isport.
Noong isang buwan, nasungkit niya ang ika-18 na grand slam singles title sa U.S. Open upang maiangat siya sa isang three-way tie sa ikaapat na puwesto kahanay nina Martina Navratilova at Chris Evert. Hawak ni Margaret Court ang all-time record sa kanyang 24.
Bihirang magsalita si Williams tungkol sa mga rekord ngunit palaging ipinapaalala sa kanya tuwing siya ay nakakapanayam.
“I never really talk about my goals,” aniya.
“Thank God, because if I mentioned them last year, I would’ve been sorely disappointed with my year this year.
“I do have goals, but I always keep them to myself. No disappointments.”
