At 31, most female tennis players are retired or winding down their careers. At 31, Serena Williams feels like she is still getting better.
Williams, who turns 32 in September, is currently ranked No. 1 in the world and coming off a win at the French Open in June. She is in Toronto for the Rogers Cup where she is the top seed, and she talked about where she stands in her playing career.
“I don’t know if I’ve peaked yet,” Williams said this week, via the Toronto Sun. “I don’t know if I’ve gotten to the top of the mountain yet.
“If I’m there, I want to stay there.”
Though Williams lost earlier than expected at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, she has had a very successful year. She has won seven tournaments, including a span of five in a row which culminated with her win at Roland Garros. Last month, she won the Swedish Open without dropping a set.
Williams used to be criticized for playing a light schedule and seemingly not worrying about her world ranking. Many questioned whether she was too active with interests outside of tennis, such as her involvement in fashion. And there were serious doubts about her career when she took several months off in 2004 and 2006, partly because of depression. But it looks like the light schedule and all of Williams’ outside interests have helped prolong her career rather than burn her out. Maybe that’s why Williams remains at the top of the sport while many of her peers have retired.
