5 reasons why Serena Williams is tennis' definitive GOAT
At this year’s Australian Open, a new, refreshed, and just-as-dominant Serena Williams returned to her full power as she steamrolled through to the finals, the venue of her 2016 loss to surprise winner Angelique Kerber of Germany.
This year, Kerber exited early in the tournament. Williams, who dropped to World No. 2 following a semi-final exit at the US Open, not having dropped even a set, made her way to a final against longtime rival and sister Venus, and won the tournament without having dropped a single set.
That feat in itself should prove her greatness relative to the Open.
But Serena Jameka Williams came into the Australian Open with 22 Grand Slam titles, having equalled German ace Steffi Graf’s Open Era record with a grass-court win at Wimbledon last year.
Now, having overcome that record, Williams is sitting at 23 – and only one Major away from equalling Margaret Court’s all-time record.
Should all this not be enough to definitively declare her as the Greatest of All Time? Her records would say so. They would have said so had she retired
1. Winning a major without dropping a set
It is evident that Serena Williams has been in more than powerful form into the 2017 season. The American, who struggled with form and injuries last year, has this year returned to her form of early 2017. It is of course to be remembered that she did win a major even in 2016, her ‘low’ season, with a drop only to 2nd place.
Having progressed to the finals without dropping a single set, Serena Williams progressed to set up a legendary finals clash against older sister Venus.
Even in that match, Serena Williams took a thumping win – in straight sets. She did not put a foot wrong during the tournament and, for the fourth time in the past 9 years, won a Grand Slam title without dropping a single set.
If that is not definitive proof of just how dominant the American is, then nothing will be.