Serena Williams is still the face of tennis, reiterates Naomi Osaka


Serena Williams is still the face of tennis, reiterates Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka Serena Williams

Naomi Osaka Serena Williams

A few weeks before the Australian Open 2021 had begun, Naomi Osaka had made a comment that she believed Serena Williams would continue to be the face of tennis as long as she played. After the tournament got over Osaka was asked the same question again, but with a twist. 

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But true to her real self, Osaka gave the same answer again. Only this time she kept the answer real short. This also shows the kind of respect that Osaka and others in her generation have for Serena Williams, Williams is one athlete who they actually grew up watching, and some of them even idolizing.  

Is Naomi Osaka hastening Serena William’s retirement

Serena Williams

Serena Williams last won a Grand Slam title in 2017 at the Australian Open. It’s been four years since then and the task isn’t getting any easier. At 39 years of age, Serena doesn’t have much time left if she seriously wants to have a crack at winning 2 more Grand Slams. She needs 2 more to go past Margaret Court and become the only player in the history of the game to have won 25 Grand Slams. 

But when Serena looks up, she looks at a huge wall in Naomi Osaka. Naomi Osaka’s rise to the top has coincided with Serena’s fall. In the last 3 years she has won 4 grand Slam titles. During her campaigns she has stopped Serena twice already, the first time at the US Open Finals in 2018 and the second time at the semifinals of the Australian Open 2021.

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The manner in which Serena Williams left the post match conference room would suggest there is some credence to the fact that Serena might be contemplating hanging up her boots. 

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