"Serena Williams might get 24 Grand Slams, or she might not, but the biggest thing is she wants to still learn" - Chanda Rubin
Serena Williams has been on the hunt for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title for several years. The American has admitted on multiple occasions that matching Margaret Court's record is one of the few reasons she is still playing competitive tennis.
But Chanda Rubin, a former player and co-host of "The GOAT: Serena" podcast, believes that equalling, and eventually breaking, the Slam record is not the most important thing for Williams.
Recalling the time she spent with the American, Rubin highlighted Williams' willingness to keep learning. Rubin said Williams still looks at archival footage from matches, dissecting each point and trying to figure out how she can improve even more.
"I recently had the opportunity to spend, you know, six weeks with her and getting the little text. 'Hey, come over and watch some film' and it might sound weird. But, I mean, like, but hey, she's already done all of this and she's sitting down watching film with her and she literally breaks it down," Rubin said.
"I just, that to me, you know, just all the things that I've known, but to where she is now and she still wants to learn," she continued. "I think, is probably one of those moments that I will always cherish."
Rubin further expressed her admiration for Williams, saying that as long as she can hold on to her desire to keep getting better, the 40-year-old does not need to win another Grand Slam to prove a point.
"Maybe she might not get it, maybe she might get 24," Rubin said. "But the biggest thing is she wants to still learn."
Serena Williams' 2022 season delayed by injury
Serena Williams is set to miss the 2022 Australian Open, the season-opening Grand Slam event. The American announced her withdrawal, citing a leg injury she sustained in 2021.
The American last played a competitive match at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, where she was forced to retire from her first-round encounter against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
Williams' ranking has since plummeted, and the American is expected to fall out of the top 50 after dropping the points she earned during her semifinal run at the Australian Open last year.