"If Serena Williams wants to fancy herself as an underdog, if that's what gets her through matches, God bless her" - Jon Wertheim
Serena Williams finally got the target off her back.
That is what the soon-to-retire 23-time Grand Slam winner declared after beating World No. 2 Anett Kontaveit in the second round of what is expected to be the American legend's last US Open.
In an episode of Tennis Channel Live, commentator Jon Wertheim said that athletes are good at telling stories to themselves as a form of motivation, and Serena's portrayal of herself as an "underdog" was clever.
"Our athletes are really good at telling themselves stories to motivate themselves, to process defeat. I think this was really clever. 'No one expects anything from me. I won this thing in '99 and ever since that, I've been Serena Williams. I'm going to transport myself to the time that I was an underdog.' Hey, if Serena Williams wants to fancy herself as an underdog, if that's what gets her through matches, God bless her," said Wertheim.
Serena, surprised at her level? 😏 https://t.co/QP41An73FE
In the on-court interview following her win over Kontaveit, Williams was in a jovial mood in what could be a testament to how relaxed and pressure-free she is at the moment – something she last felt when she debuted at Flushing Meadows in 1998. She won the following year to lift her first ever Grand Slam trophy.
"Honestly, I'm just looking at it as a bonus. I don't have anything to prove. I don't have anything to win. I have absolutely nothing to lose. Honestly, I never get to play like this since '98 really. Literally, I've had an 'X' on my back since '99. It's kind of fun. I really enjoy just coming out and enjoying it. It's been a long time since I've been able to do that," said Williams.
"It reminds me of Emma Raducanu where she mentioned her target on the back, and it just shows Serena Williams has had to deal with this for, like, 20 years now" - Eugenie Bouchard
Eugenie Bouchard compared Serena Williams' post-second-round interview statement of her having a target on her back to that of 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Bouchard, who lost in the second round of the qualifying rounds and is a studio analyst at the Tennis Channel, said that the six-time US Open winner has been carrying huge pressure on her shoulders for 20 years and this shows her mental fortitude and her greatness.
"I know it's hard to believe anyone truly believes she (Serena Williams) is an underdog even though she's saying that about herself. But I love what she said there because it reminds me of Emma Raducanu where she mentioned her target on the back, and it just shows Serena has had to deal with this for, like, 20 years now," said Bouchard in the same episode of Tennis Channel Live.
"Can you imagine playing, going on the court and being expected to win every single time? That just shows her mental strength and her greatness," she added.
The twirl continues. The career continues.
#Serena | #USOpen https://t.co/O4f5h9zgpv
Raducanu, last year's surprise US Open winner, alluded to the pressure she has had to deal with over the past year after she was sent packing by Alize Cornet in the first round.
"I'm going to drop down the rankings. Climb my way back up. I mean, in a way, the target will be off my back slightly. I just have another chance to claw my way back up there," said Raducanu in her post-match press conference.
Williams will try to keep her Last Dance going against Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round on Friday.