Danielle Collins Doesn’t Take Margaret Court’s Grand Slam Count Seriously: “Serena Williams Is the Record Holder”

Serena Williams, following her return to tennis, has said that she has nothing to prove to anyone. Because, obviously, she has won almost every title there is to win.

In Grand Slams, Williams is a 23-time singles champion. The record for most Major singles belongs to Margaret Court, the winner of 24 trophies. No woman has reached this tally, but on the men’s side, Novak Djokovic has. Danielle Collins, however, just cannot think of Court as the record holder. She said on Tennis Channel:

I do not consider Margaret Court’s Grand Slam count to be something that I honestly take quite seriously, because, first of all, when Margaret Court won a lot of those Australian Opens, the draw size was 32, and there were only maybe three or four foreign players going over and competing in the Australian Open at that time.

Williams last played a singles match in the third round of the 2022 US Open against Ajla Tomljanovic. She received the wild card for singles at Wimbledon.

The Australian Open was a very different tournament, and during that time, it’s not comparable, so I think anybody that knows anything about tennis and has been in this world knows that Serena is the record holder and that that stat is really just a distraction away from everything that she has achieved and being the greatest of all time.

Danielle Collins added

The third Major of the season starts on June 29, and Williams, apart from singles, has also received the wild card for doubles alongside her sister Venus Williams. The winners of 14 Grand Slam doubles titles last won a title in this category at the 2016 Wimbledon. Williams’ last title at SW19 also came in 2016.

Lindsay Davenport on Serena Williams’ comeback

Even though she is Serena Williams, she is also 44, so many expect her to struggle to win her singles matches. But fellow former World No.1 Lindsay Davenport is convinced that the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion is coming back to make a huge impact in women’s tennis.

Serena’s mindset has always been to be the best and not settle for mediocrity. I think we have to assume that she’s coming back because she feels she’s in a position where she can make an impact immediately in women’s tennis.

Lindsay Davenport told BBC Sport

Williams clinched her career’s last Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open by defeating Venus Williams. She won the title while she was eight weeks pregnant with her first daughter, Olympia.

We’ve all seen her. She looks in incredible shape and better shape than arguably when she left the sport. But we have got to be a little graceful in the time we give her until she hits her peak.

Lindsay Davenport added

Williams last played in a Grand Slam final at the 2019 US Open, losing to Bianca Andreescu. She has already played official matches upon her comeback.

At the Queen’s Club Championships, Williams and doubles partner Victoria Mboko won their first match but had to give the walkover to their second-round opponent. It was because the Canadian teenager suffered an injury during her singles match.

Later at the Berlin Open, Williams competed alongside Karolina Muchova but lost their first-round match. Williams last won a singles title at the 2020 ASB Classic by defeating countrywoman Jessica Pegula. In this Wimbledon, Iga Swiatek will be competing as the defending champion. Last year in the final, she clinched a double-bagel win over Amanda Anisimova.

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