Sunny Cadwallader
©2016, The Shadow League
Still Striving, Seeking and Chasing, She is Writing her Own History
You can try to contain her. You can try to help her. You can even root for her failure.
But, you can’t stop a woman on a mission.
Serena Williams was on a mission. She’s been on a mission since her youth. The desire to be the best, to be #1.
Twenty-two proved to be a formidable opponent for her. She had been chasing 22 since July 2015, when she last won Wimbledon. Each time she was at 22’s door, she knocked, but 22 would not open. Not in New York. Not in Melbourne. Not in Paris.
Now, here was Williams in London. One year later, ready for 22’s challenge. Only this time, Williams didn’t knock. She kicked 22’s door open and charged on through.
Serena is the 2016 Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles champion. It is Grand Slam title number 22 for Williams, tying her with the great Steffi Graf. Williams defeated Germany’s Angelique Kerber in a highly competitive straight set match, 7-5, 6-3.
This is the same Kerber that Williams lost to in Melbourne at the Australian Open earlier this year, 4-6, 6-3, 4-6. Although Williams didn’t play especially well, Melbourne was Kerber’s announcement to the tennis world that she was a force to be reckoned with. She outplayed Williams in Australia. It was a reminder for Williams that she had more work to do.
Australia, and subsequently Paris at the French Open, where she lost to Garbiñe Muguruza in the final, was also a reminder to us that the mission to number 22 was still very much within her grasp. We saw the toll 2015 took on Williams mentally and emotionally.
For full story… TheShadowLeague.com
(photo credit: Getty Images)
—
This story originally appeared on TheShadowLeague.com, a site dedicated to journalistically sound sports coverage with a cultural perspective that insightfully informs sports fans worldwide.
