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Renewed serious discussion: Where does Serena go from here?

5K views 50 replies 34 participants last post by  bandabou 
#1 · (Edited)
I mean, she's losing her nerve after winning only three of the biggest five tournaments this year (Slams and Olympics). Realistically I don't see her winning more than 1-2 max as her upper limit. :worship::worship:

Thread opened in response to a prolific Sarina-hater:

I do think tbh that, when she's gone on streaks in the past 12 months, the ease with which she wins her matches has done her no good at all, because it seems to deceive her into thinking she's playing better than she actually is. Both this claycourt season and in the US Open Series last year. Objectively, she played well, but she wasn't playing THAT well. And then, she decided to tank at her final warm-up tournament for each and seemingly slacked off in practice over the next couple of weeks, judging by the fact that both times, she showed up at the Slams themselves playing much worse. I think she's gonna have drop the God complex and put her nose to the grindstone and actually play a full-time schedule, and not be satisfied after she's just put together one or two good tournaments.

Secondly, I'm surprised more people haven't picked up on the fact she seems to be losing her nerve It wouldn't be the first time a player has just been more prone to random meltdowns and mental no-shows once they've past 30. In the last 3 Slams running now, she's been visibly (and audibly) on edge in a way she never was in the past.

Realistically, I'd be surprised if she doesn't win atleast one more Slam (just like Graf and Sampras, great players usually manage to get one last Slam win out of them, even if it drains them of all their remaining inner-firepower), but I'd say 2-3 Slams more are her absolute upper limit, because her game just isn't consistently good enough and her nerve isn't as steady to dominate ever again.
You'd think that the detractors would have learned by now. Sarin never ever gives you the last word. Say she's not going to win a slam again, she does it, and she does it essentially 2.5-3 times (depending on the weight you place on the Olympics). :cheer:
 
#3 ·
Step 1) Stay healthy and injury-free.

Step 2) Play.
 
#12 ·
Play? Serena continues to refuse to chase ranking points. She said in the post match that she has 2 more tournaments to play this year before shutting it down. not sure if that includes the YEC. Probably does. You only have so many bullets to fire. She saves them for the Grand Slam season. The fall season is for football. If it ain't broke......
 
#14 ·
Upper limit 2-3 more!?!?

That's not exactly saying she's on her last legs.

My question is what's gonna happen when we repeat this final at OZ. Azarenka HAS to be (or will be when she gets over losing) encouraged by how many times she broke Serena's serve. Vs does Serena want 2nd Serena Slam, or just RG?

And respect forces me to admit that Sharapova will have something to say about all this.
 
#17 ·
:lol:

Nice "reopenning" of the thread. Gotta spread some before I can rep you again Tennisbear.

There should be a "Serena Detractor/Hater's Hall of Fame" thread, reserved for the posters of those biased, spiteful individuals whose face Serena has emphatically cracked time and time again. :lol:

Anyway, the idea that winning 2 or 3 slams tops would be a trivial thing exposes this poster (for the umpteenth time) for the bone-head he is. Any player out there would give her left tit to win three (more) slams over the course of their ENTIRE careers.

If anything, from this point on, Serena will become more at ease in the big moments. I believe winning this USO has exercised a big demon for her. And, frankly, given the fashion she won it in (lacking her "A" game, Serve going south, an excess of UEs), she will only GAIN in confidence in her abilities no matter the circumstance. Serena's ability to prevail in adverse circumstances had been legendary, but it had been a while since we've seen it in the most critical moments. It was fair to question whether that was just a bygone quality of her athletic "peak," now fallen away and passing into myth or whether she still was complete in her legendary qualities.

What Serena's detractors have been in denial about that many of us - long ago - believed, acknowledged, posted about (some begrudgingly) is that Serena J. Williams is a once in a lifetime athlete whose talent, skill and mentality DEFIES CONVENTIONAL ANALYSIS when it comes to defining expectations and boundaries.

She has proven time and time again that you cannot apply the same ol' templates regarding style of play, frequency of play, skill set, talent development/maintenance to her. Her talent is simply that unique.

So, where does she go from here? ...wherever the hell she chooses. :shrug:

I would say, for the next four years, the sky's the limit.
 
#20 ·
:lol: Ain't it something...people just WON'T learn. Serena keeps proving them wrong, yet they keep talking, keep doubting. Just no shame in them. :lol:
 
#24 ·
Even Navratilova said Serena probably has half the miles on her that Navra had on her at that age. Serena has remained because she's not a slave to the tour. I think she stays top 5 (if healthy), plays a sensible schedule, and guns for the majors.
 
#25 ·
If she remains healthy and fit I see no reason why she can't bag at least 2 majors next season. In any case I think Serena will be more motivated to try and win RG next season. I think she will be working hard with her new coach to over come the challenges and quite frankly if Pova can do it so can she. I'm looking forward to next season already!:D
 
#31 ·
i mean really :lol: how isn't he banned yet, but i guess it's not easy to give mashatards a bad name singlehandedly :worship:

personally i feel that serena is just trying to play the best she can, sure there's gonna a few blips here and there (most probably at rg) but since her comeback she has this renewed interest in winning regular tour titles as well. probably simply rack up more WTA titles and go for more slams. only thing that doesn't really look good though is the lone french open title on her resume, especially considering how many AO, Wimby and USO titles she has already.
 
#32 ·
To some extent I agree with those who say that it depends on Serena's health and motivation, but I don't think that's completely true. Contrary to popular opinion, Serena is human, and as such her form ebbs and flows like everybody else's.

She's played extraordinary tennis for most of this year, and at her very best there probably is nobody around who can beat her. But if her level drops off just a little bit, which I think it will from time to time, there are several players who can beat her if they take their chances. But there's no denying she's raised the bar for everybody else.
 
#33 ·
Meh. To be honest, since her comeback, she's been crazy consistent. Really only two weird/bad losses in 15 months. She was crushing Sharapova, Azarenka, Wozniacki, etc. in 2011. And she continued doing the same in 2012. She's super consistent.
 
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