It might be too soon to say Serena Williams will never win another major title. Win a major or not, Serena likely will be the No. 1 player in the world when 2017 starts. Williams probably would have to stumble early at Wimbledon and/or the U.S. Open to allow Garbine Muguruza to catch her.
But nearing 35 years old, Serena probably would have to go to a stricter training regime to have a chance to win anything significant a year from now. Williams has been dominant throughout her career, but even more so in recent years, partly because her main competition has slowly but surely disappeared. Until now. Maria Sharapova has her own problems. So has Petra Kvitova.
SERENA ISN’T THE PLAYER SHE ONCE WAS
Fortunately for the rest of women’s tennis, Serena isn’t the player she was four or five years ago, although her record might indicate otherwise. She hasn’t had to do anything other than just to stay in tennis shape. No one has pushed Williams to become fitter, lighter and more mobile as she nears the finish line of an incredible career. Power has been all she has needed to dominate women’s tennis.
Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep are wonderfully gifted tennis players. But all three are somewhat smallish with no major weapons other than their legs and smarts. Radwanska has her shrewd, intelligent game, while Kerber’s main strength is her left-handed game. Halep is a smooth, consistent 5-6 player. Serena could simply overpower them. None of these women could match up against Serena’s power from the baseline or service line.
AND THEN THERE WAS MUGURUZA
There really isn’t anyone else, other than maybe the totally unpredictable Victoria Azarenka, and a group of young players who still have to prove themselves. Except 22-year-old Garbine Muguruza, the world’s new No. 2. Muguruza not only moves better than Serena at this stage of their careers, but she can match strokes and serves with Serena. The writing is on the wall. Serena is no longer the monster of the midway she was just a few years ago. She still might scare a few of the top players, but not the blossoming Muguruza.
A MATCH IN INTENSITY AND DETERMINATION
Muguruza also can match Serena in intensity and determination. She can lift her game to another level, maybe not as well as Serena. But Muguruza is closing in.
That was obvious in Muguruza’s 7-5, 6-4 conquest of Williams in Saturday’s French Open final as well as when Muguruza stared a set point in the eye against the upcoming Shelby Rogers in the quarterfinals. Amazingly, Muguruza dropped only one set while marching to her first Grand Slam title.
Muguruza is a heavyweight hitter, unlike anything Serena has faced in recent years.
James Beck is the long-time tennis columnist for the Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier newspaper. He can be reached at Jamesbecktennis@gmail.com
http://www.postandcourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=search&text=james+beck&facet.filter=&facet.filter=&sortbydate=1
