Does Serena Williams Have Only Two Years Left To Win A Grand Slam?

Tennis star Serena Williams now is the first athlete to make it to Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Richest Self-Made Women with an estimate of $225 million fortune, but on the work front the clock is ticking and faster! Williams, who won her 23rd major title while pregnant at the 2017 Australian Open, is yet to win a Grand Slam and has not claimed any event since. The American ace lost the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open last year, remains one behind the mark set by Margaret Court.

While talking about the 23 Grand Slam winner, John McEnroe warned this week that Williams, who turns 38 in September, only has a maximum of two years to win a record-equalling title, or she won't be able to since she is multi-tasking in way too many paths.

She reached two slam finals after returning to the court, losing to Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon and Naomi Osaka at the US Open which left her just one Slam behind Court’s 24-strong collection at the end of 2018. The 37-year-old then had to pull out due to injury.

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Talking about Williams ahead of Wimbledon, Billie Jean King said, “She does have her finger in so many pies - she's got business, a baby, she's trying to help gender equality, particularly for women of colour,” Express reported.

“But all that makes it much harder to commit to winning a Grand Slam. I would like to see her put everything else aside from that. She's got people working on these things. I wish she would just make a commitment for the next year-and-a-half to two years and just say: 'I'm going to absolutely devote what's necessary for my tennis so when I look in the mirror when I'm older that I can go back in my mind and know I gave everything I had and be happy'. But if she's happy doing it this way it's fine,” she added.

World No.11 Williams has only played 11 matches in 2019. She won only nine matches in five events in the season with an injury. She decided not to play a grass-court warm-up event after losing in the third round of the French Open.

I wish she would just make a commitment for the next year-and-a-half to two years - King

King added, “Ideally I would like her to play more matches before she gets to Wimbledon. In the old days they could kind of get through and then get going by the second week but I think when you're older, it doesn't work that way. The women's event is wide open.”

King said she is rooting for Williams to play in the Fed Cup next year which will be staged in Budapest in April.

“But as you get older, you have to work harder. I played until I was 40, smarter and harder. Gotta work smarter, too,” King told Metro adding, “It’s got to be very intense but maybe not quite as long. ‘But you have got to work out, you’ve got to watch your nutrition more than ever because you tend to thicken as you get older – it’s a nightmare. But if you love to play, that’s the price you’re willing to pay, I made that decision.”

“But as you get older, you have to work harder. I played until I was 40, smarter and harder. Gotta work smarter, too.” - King

The 36-year-old American missed most of the 2017 WTA season due to her pregnancy. The tennis ace has earlier spoken about the complications she suffered after giving birth to her daughter. During her pregnancy, she was ranked No 1 in the world and won the Australian Open in her first trimester.

Feature Image Credit: FanDuel

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