Serena Williams Admits She Needed ‘Negativity to Be Better’ While Recalling How Hecker Helped Her Win Australian Open

Serena Williams retired at the 2022 US Open after clinching 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

Serena Williams Admits She Needed ‘Negativity to Be Better’ While Recalling How Hecker Helped Her Win Australian Open

Serena Williams (Image via X/We Are Tennis France)

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Back in 2010, Serena Williams reached back-to-back finals at the Australian Open and set up the clash with Justine Henin, who made a U-turn on her retirement decision after hanging up her racket in May 2008.

Williams recounted that match on her Stockton Street podcast, which she recently launched with her sister Venus Williams. She revealed how she was motivated by what a heckler yelled at her during that match.

I remember in Australia, I was playing in the final, and I had a bone bruise in both knees. I think I won the first set, think I was losing the second set, and quite frankly, I was done, I was spent, I didn’t have it in me. Then this guy in the crowd was like, ‘You see, you’re not as good as they say, I knew it. ‘

It was Henin’s first Grand Slam final since making her return to the tour. After losing the first set, Henin forced the comeback by clinching the following set. But Williams changed gears in the decider and with a 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 win, she clinched her fifth singles trophy at Flushing Meadows.

I looked at that guy, and thought, that’s what I needed, tell me no and I’ll show you that I can, I didn’t lose another game. If he hadn’t said that, the person that he was rooting for [Henin] would have won. I never could find that guy. I wonder who he was. I wanted to thank him. Where are you? I almost needed negativity to be better. Don’t give me positivity, I need negativity.

Serena Williams added

It was their career’s final meeting against each other. In their overall head-to-head encounters, Williams won eight of their 14 matches.

The Belgian, also the seven-time Grand Slam champion, played two more Majors that year, losing in the fourth rounds of both the French Open and Wimbledon. She finally called time on her career the following year after her defeat in the third round of the Australian Open.

Serena Williams on what worried her a lot during the 2001 US Open final

Serena Williams scheduled her career’s first Grand Slam final against Venus Williams at the 2001 US Open. Serena was no match for her sister as she lost the final with a 6–2, 6–4 scoreline. During the Stockton Street podcast, the 43-year-old recalled that match and revealed how she was worried a lot about her friends and family members.

Serena Williams
Serena Williams (Image via X/We Love Tennis)

We played in the finals of the 2001 US Open. I was so worried about who’s coming, the tickets, who’s going to sit in the box, who’s going to sit where. I remember you on the court, you seemed to be only [focused] on you.

Venus revealed she did not invite anyone at that time. She said she preferred not to invite anyone because during tournaments, she just did not have time to hang out and see what was happening behind the scenes.

Serena called time on her career at the 2022 US Open after her third-round exit. She last clinched a Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open by defeating Venus. The last time she won a singles title was at the 2020 ASB Classic by defeating compatriot Jessica Pegula.

Venus is still playing and recently participated in the US Open, where she suffered a first-round exit against Karolina Muchova. The last time she won a title was back in 2016 at the Taiwan Open, and since then, she has played four finals. This year, apart from the US Open, the 45-year-old also participated in the Citi Open and Cincinnati Open, losing in the second and first rounds, respectively.

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