But punters looking to back the tennis veteran won’t be thinking the 39-year-old is done winning titles yet, as she continues to compete at the highest level and look for that elusive 24th Grand Slam crown.
Williams Already the Greatest for Some
Whether Williams is able to land one more Grand Slam means little to some of the other big names in the sport. Novak Djokovic, who was one of the favourites in the odds on the 2021 Australian Open winner going into the tournament, has long been an admirer of the American. Meanwhile, rival Caroline Wozniacki previously said Williams was “the best player to ever have played the game”.
It’s certainly high praise from those who will have a better understanding of what Williams has had to go through to be where she is in the game. But while so much has already been achieved, it looks like Williams is not done yet when it comes to challenging for those prestigious Grand Slam titles.
Williams Producing ‘Vintage’ Moments
Winning her first match at the Australian Open against German Laura Siegemund 6-1 6-1, Williams described her performance as "vintage Serena". The 23-time Grand Slam champion continues to impress at this latter stage of her career and will understandably attract backers in the betting
.
Outside of the top 10 in the rankings going into the tournament, all the top seeds will still be wary of Williams down in Melbourne and in future competitions. The Florida resident continues to thrive under current coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has been tasked with squeezing the last Grand Slam titles out of this American icon.
If vintage Serena moments continue, there is little doubt Williams will still find herself competing at the business ends of the biggest events on the circuit. Williams has the most Grand Slam titles in the Open Era and is second on the all-time list behind Margaret Court. The goal of course is to go one better than the Australian.
Battling Through Injury
Like most top tennis players, Williams has been forced to battle and play through injuries throughout her career. But the desire to keep playing at this stage of her life, through her recent shoulder injury, is a great testament to the competitive character she possesses.
There were concerns Williams would miss the start of the Australian Open this year, having withdrawn from the Yarra Valley Classic semi-final against world number one Ashleigh Barty. However, Williams confirmed it was precautionary and that every possible measure is being taken behind the scenes to make sure the injury was not an issue going forward.
Other big names, including Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka also had their injury troubles going into the first Grand Slam of 2021, so the veteran was by no means alone in that regard. Williams has said her conditioning at her age has been a key element of her training, and punters will hope this will reap rewards in an intriguing year in the women’s game.
