All champions need a little luck on their way to a major title, and Serena Williams got her fair share on Monday against Victoria Azarenka. From being one set down and a whisker away from being 2-0 down in the second, Williams was soon ushered into the quarterfinals when her opponent was forced to retire.
Poor Azarenka was of the verge of keeling over when, after staggering around at the back of the court in between points, she finally gave up trailing 4-2 in the second set having won the first 6-3. "I was throwing up all the morning," she admitted afterwards in a moment of over-sharing.
"I just felt weak. I was trying to keep going as much as possible. But there is nothing you can do. The last step with me, I would fall over."
It was miserable way to go out of the competition, especially as she had Williams on the ropes. To be more precise, Williams had Williams on the ropes and the lass from Belarus had the opportunity to profit from the situation. The former champion was struggling with her serve, and was so frustrated that she picked up a warning at the end of the first set for using language unbecoming of a lady. The gist of her rant was that she wanted to serve a bit better – it is just that it sounded so much ruder in Anglo Saxon.
While Williams is not known as a soft touch when it comes to key matches at major championships, but when she saw Azarenka start to wobble, she came over all motherly. "Honestly, I got worried," she said. "I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness’, because she started like walking really slow. The last thing she would want to do would be to fall. It was just weird. I was actually really worried."
She was also ever so slightly worried that her game was not falling into place when she needed it to. A fighter by nature, she had told herself to stick in there, but Azarenka's withdrawal must have come as a relief. There had been enough dented reputations on display around Melbourne Park in the last couple of days, and Williams did not intend to add to that statistic.
When it comes to preserving records, Williams is something of an expert. She is still winding up Andy Roddick about beating him when they were kids, but she refuses to offer him the chance of a rematch.
"I don't think it's necessary to have a rematch," she said, smiling smugly. "You know, I won. I was clearly the better player. I beat Roddick, you know. Andy Roddick, yeah. There's really no need to have a rematch.
"I was so small for my age. He was small, too. But he just got jealous because my body was more fit and that my biceps are probably still bigger than his. Andy is incredibly jealous of me. You know, I just don't know why. I can't blame him really."
Svetlana Kuznetsova must have cast the odd envious glance in Williams's direction over the years. She appeared to have launched herself on the Grand Slam stage when she won the US Open in 2004, but since then she has only reached one major semifinal – and that was at the French Open last year. Now, Williams stands in her path to the last four, and the American rather fancies the match-up.
"I haven't played her that much in my career, but we've played a couple times," Williams said. "She's a good player, obviously. Gets a ton of balls back. She's extremely strong. I think we have a similar game. I think it will obviously be a great match."
By the tone in her voice, it sounded as if Williams felt that she was the favourite to win that one, and so she should – she has won four of their five previous matches. But unlike most potential champions, Williams was not thinking only about herself.
As Jelena Dokic's return to the big stage has taken the Australian Open by storm and warmed a million hearts around the world, so the tale has touched Williams as well. She has watched with interest as Dokic has made her way, emotionally, through the rounds. and now she is Dokic's No. 1 supporter.
"I'm really rooting for her to go far," she said. "Obviously, if I make it, I don't want her to win. But I really am rooting for her to go as far as she can in this tournament because I really think she has a chance to do extremely well."
Williams could only meet Dokic in the final, and with nine Grand Slam titles to her name already, she is experienced in the business of closing out major tournaments. As a result, she could afford to be generous towards her possible rival for the trophy. And with luck clearly on her side, Williams is looking increasingly confident of making that appointment on Saturday night.
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