"I'm 31, if I can't compete without them, I need to reevaluate life": When Serena Williams spoke on parents & Venus' absence amid shock Wimbledon exit
Serena Williams' parents and sister Venus Williams were absent during her shock exit from the 2013 Wimbledon Championships. However, the American dismissed all speculation that their nonattendance had any negative impact on her performance.
Serena entered the 2013 Wimbledon Championships as the top seed and defending champion, on the hunt for her sixth title at SW19. Venus, however, did not join her sister in London, having pulled out of the grasscourt Major with a back injury.
Serena Williams appeared set for another Wimbledon triumph, securing emphatic straight-sets wins over Mandy Minella, Caroline Garcia, and Kimiko Date to reach the fourth round. Battling it out against 23rd seed Sabine Lisicki for a place in the quarterfinals, the American was expected to breeze through to the last eight.
However, Lisicki delivered an impressive performance to oust the top seed, claiming a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory. As the American's title defense came to an end, she did not have the support of her father Richard Williams and mother Oracene Price in person while dealing with the loss.
However, Serena Williams disclosed that it hadn't been tough to compete at Wimbledon without her father's presence for the first time, as he had still offered his advice through texts.
"No, it's been okay. It's been fine," she said in her post-match press conference. "Yeah, he's always texting me and writing me notes. So, yeah."
The American also asserted that her parents and Venus Williams' absence did not feel strange, emphasizing that if she couldn't compete without one of them by her side at 31 years of age, she would need to reevaluate her entire life.
"No. I'm 31, you know. I really have to go back to the drawing boards if I can't compete with[out] one of them here. I really need to reevaluate my life," she said.
"There's huge room for improvement for me" - Serena Williams after Wimbledon 4R loss to Sabine Lisicki
Reflecting on her loss to Sabine Lisicki, Serena Williams admitted that she hadn't shown her best level in the contest. She attributed her subpar performance to her hesitation on the crucial points, asserting that there was significant room for improvement.
"Well, I think that I, uhm, didn't play the big points good enough. I didn't do what I do best. I think I had a little hesitation, and that explains it," she said in the same press conference. "There's huge room for improvement for me."
Nevertheless, the American downplayed the shock of her loss, citing Lisicki's formidable prowess on grass. She also expressed her belief that the German deserved a higher ranking.
"For me any loss is extremely tough to overcome. So, again, I don't think it's a huge shock. She is a great player. Her ranking has no effect on what she should be. She should be ranked higher," Serena Williams said.
"Especially on grass she just has, you know, a super, super game to play well on grass. So, yeah, I'll just have to go back to the drawing boards and figure out a way how to win this match the next time," she added.
Following her win over Serena Williams, Sabine Lisicki made a run to the 2013 Wimbledon final, where she took on Marion Bartoli. Bartoli dominated the encounter, claiming a 6-1, 6-4 victory to clinch her maiden Grand Slam title.