Mission 24, To Be Continued
Serena Williams’ quest for 24 Grand Slams will have to wait
Serena Williams headed into this year’s Australian Open with her usual confidence and swagger, hungry for her 24th Grand Slam title.
Ranked No. 11 in the world, Williams came out aggressive and focused. During every match, she donned a silver necklace that read “Queen,” and diamond studs that glittered “Ma Ma” on each earlobe. Her colorful, full-body catsuit caught everyone’s eye. She remained a steady contender through the semifinals, where she ultimately faced her successor, 23 year-old Naomi Osaka.
Williams has always been a huge role model for the younger generation of tennis stars, and Osaka is no exception. She grew up idolizing Williams, parroting her strong serve and imitating her quick side step. But on Wednesday night, Osaka was the barrier between Williams and another moment of glory.
Williams lost to Osaka in the semifinal, her fifth major loss since 2017. Osaka played lights out, hitting unreturnable serves and clean crosscourt shots. Williams played some of her best tennis in recent memory during this tournament, but the rising star beat the queen at her own game.
During the press conference after the match, Williams was asked about her performance and whether or not it’d be her last Grand Slam. She abruptly left the room in tears, unable to respond.
When discussions about GOATs arise, several household names get rattled off. Michael Jordan. Tom Brady. Tiger Woods. Babe Ruth. Muhammad Ali.
Like these other legends in their respective sports, Serena Williams has been a powerhouse for as long as anyone can remember. Williams started playing tennis at the age of four. Since then, she has gone on to dominate the world of women’s tennis for nearly three decades, and is one of the sport’s most decorated athletes, with 23 individual Grand Slam championship titles to call her own.
This year, Slam No. 24 would solidify her as the undisputed champion of women’s tennis, outperforming Margaret Court’s record for the most singles titles of all time. There are three remaining major tournaments this calendar year; Williams has more chances should she continue playing.
As far as I’m concerned though, Williams doesn’t need to tie Court’s titles to cement her status as the greatest player in women’s tennis history. She’s already done that. She holds the most Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles combined among active players with 39. She is tied with Roger Federer for the most major match wins in history with 362.
The Women’s Tennis Association ranked Williams No. 1 in the world eight separate times over the span of 15 years and at one point she spent 186 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the world. During her last Grand Slam win in 2017, she was two months pregnant.
Williams is already one of the GOATs, and winning Slam No. 24 wouldn’t necessarily change that. But it would detract from Court’s character and what she stands for.
Ahead of this year’s Australian Open, Court was celebrated by the Australian government and received the country’s highest public service award. Yet, she has publicly denounced the LGBTQ+ community since her reign on the tennis court began over 50 years ago. Her controversial views on homosexuality, conversion therapy and transgender issues are in stark contrast to tennis legend and social justice icon, Billie Jean King.
Due to King’s strides towards gender equality in the 1970s, tennis became the first sport to offer equal pay to both men and women’s champions. Thanks in part to King’s work, tennis has long been regarded as one of the most inclusive and welcoming sports. History can’t be re-written, and Court’s athletic accomplishments still deserve recognition, but being forced to celebrate her as a hero of the country for the most Grand Slam titles makes it all the more important for Williams to meet her at 24.
It’s not unlikely that we will soon see Williams take that title, and there was a chance to see that happen on Wednesday. Some days however, the best of the best simply don’t have it.
After falling to Osaka, the quest for Slam No. 24—her first as a mother—and the trouncing of Court will have to wait. While it’s tough to see Serena Williams lose, it’s an honor to witness Naomi Osaka rise. She is finally a player that can match Williams’s power—both on and off the court.
There comes a point in every GOAT’s career when winning becomes a part of their identity. Hours of triumph are etched into their expectations, and the pursuit for excellence is carved into their everyday routine. Even though loss and failure are included in the package deal of a great, long-lived career, that doesn’t mean they hurt any less.
While it’s difficult to imagine how Williams will cope with this defeat, we can only hope that she can put together one more glorious run in 2021.