Margaret Court docket has questioned Serena Williams’ legacy after the American’s obvious retirement from tennis following her defeat at this 12 months’s US Open.
Court docket holds the file for grand slam singles titles with 24, one forward of Williams. However it's Williams who's often described as the best participant of all time.
The Australian performed principally within the newbie period, however she believes life on tour is simpler now.
“I might like to have performed on this period. I believe it’s a lot simpler,” Court docket instructed the Every day Telegraph in an article revealed on Monday. “How I might like to have taken household or buddies together with me. However I couldn’t. I needed to go alone or with the nationwide group. Individuals don’t see all that.
“We didn’t have psychologists or coaches with us. It’s an entire completely different world. That’s what disappoints me – that gamers right this moment don’t honour the previous of the sport.”
Williams has not issued a definitive assertion on her retirement, saying as a substitute that she is “evolving” away from the sport, partly as a result of she desires to develop into a mom once more. The 40-year-old was pregnant along with her daughter, Olympia, when she gained her final grand slam title on the Australian Open in 2017. Court docket mentioned her titles had been gained in a shorter interval than Williams and whereas she turned a mom of two.
“Serena has performed seven years greater than I did,” Court docket mentioned. “I completed in my early 30s. Individuals overlook that I took two years out. I first retired ... once I was 25, pondering I might by no means return to tennis. I received married, had a child, however then had considered one of my greatest years, successful 24 out of 25 tournaments.”
The 80-year-old added: “I got here again after two infants. After having the primary child, I gained three out of the 4 slams … Serena hasn’t gained a slam since [she gave birth].”
Court docket gained her majors between 1960 and 1973, when fewer gamers made the journey to the Australian Open (there have been simply two non-Australians within the draw when she gained her first residence grand slam) . However she denied that made her 11 Australian Open titles (Williams has seven) much less worthwhile.
“I typically hear Billie Jean [King] saying that folks didn’t come all the way down to Australia in my early years,” Court docket mentioned. “However Maria Bueno, the world No 1, got here down. So did Christine Truman, Ann Haydon, Darlene Laborious. Plus, Australia had some fantastic gamers. We had 5 ladies within the high 10. Lesley Bowrey gained two French Opens.”
Court docket has been a vocal critic of identical intercourse marriage, which she believes has led to her being forgotten when the greats of tennis are talked about.
“Plenty of the press and tv right this moment, significantly in tennis, don’t need to point out my identify,” she mentioned. “The honour has not been there for what I did do. In my very own nation, I've been given titles, however they'd nonetheless quite not point out me.”
Regardless of her criticisms of Williams, Court docket mentioned she had loved watching her play.
“Serena, I’ve admired her as a participant,” she mentioned. “However I don’t assume she has ever admired me.”
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