"Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, that’s where Serena Williams is; she’s put herself in that pantheon of GOATs" - John McEnroe
John McEnroe has heaped praise on Serena Williams and has equated her stature to the likes of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Tom Brady.
Williams has been a hot topic in the tennis world ever since she announced her plans to retire from the sport. She's set to hang up her racquet after dominating the women's circuit for more than 20 years with 73 singles and 23 doubles titles to her name.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe stated that the 40-year-old is well and truly one of the Great Of All Time (GOAT) athletes, not just in tennis but across all sports.
“That all you need to say about Serena is that she’s put herself in that pantheon of GOATs. She’s up there with Billie Jean King. You mentioned Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady. That’s where Serena is,’’ McEnroe told New York Post.
Williams is currently in New York gearing up for the US Open, which begins on August 29. It's expected to be the final tournament of her illustrious career and expectations are running high.
Despite not being at her dominant best, McEnroe believes that she should not be written off just yet, especially with the buoyant home support behind her.
"Depends on the crowd. Sometimes when you’re not playing well you sort of feel like the crowd doesn’t get you’re struggling. It depends on how she reacts to that if things aren’t going well or the way she anticipates," he said.
Serena Williams takes on Danka Kovinic in opening match at 2022 US Open
Serena Williams will face Danka Kovinic in the first round of the US Open on Monday. Despite competing for a long time, she has never squared off against the World No. 80 on the tour before.
The 27-year-old peaked in 2016 with a career-high ranking of No. 46. She's yet to win a title on the WTA tour, with her runner-up finish at the Charleston Open being her best performance to date. She lost 6-4, 6-2 to Veronika Kudermetova in the WTA 500 final on clay.
Serena Williams will open with Danka Kovinic in her final US Open. https://t.co/cSjGuZIHKj
The Montenegrin, however, is well capable of causing an upset. At the Australian Open this year, she beat 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu in three sets in the second round.
While Kovinic has never made it past the second round at Flushing Meadows, Williams is a six-time champion at her home Slam.