CLICK HERE FOR BBC ARTICLE->SERENA SURE OF REGAINING TO SPOT

Is this clever editing by the BBC as it doesn't seem to actually show the question she was answering (unless they edit it in time)? Perhaps someone can source the full article and quote.

If she really has said this is it refreshing to see such confidence or is this arrogance or even perhaps wishful thinking? I am stuck between the two to be honest.

I can certainly see her challenging the likes of Henin and Sharapova for number 1 if she was at ther peak but I don't think she would have things all her own ways like she did a few years back.

Opinions?

Gav, i don't mind it when someone comes out with a declaration of intent, especially if I know they have a chance of doing it. I have always disliked the Williams sisters for what I feel is an overplay on their reaction to the tennis world against their stereotype, but this case in isolation I can find no harm in. It's not as if she doesn't have a chance, and we all know what she is capable of. If she came out and named names, or belittled her opponents then fair enough, but nowt wrong with self confidence.

If Serena plays her best- Still the best player on the planet :)

I have to say when i saw the article i chuckled somewhat...I'm not saying she can't do it and I'd certainly like her to be back in the top 10, but saying something along those lines when you're barely inside the top 100 is a little rash IMHO, it will only heap pressure on her...

I'm not sure what to think of this, but I must say it made my eyebrows raise a tad when I read it this morning. Confidence is good, but stating that she can get back to world number seems OTT IMO, based on last year anyway. Mayeb she has a secret weapon up her sleeve, like much improved fitness. If so then maybe she can get back up there, but she'll still need the application and focus that has lacked in recent seasons. There are a lot of hungry youngsters out there now who dont; fear her like they used to, her invicinblity is long gone and her power is not the threat it once was with all the youngsters using it nowadays by the shedload. Last year she did not have the fitness and match practice to make it all the way to the end of a slam, so unles sthings have changed on that front she has no chance. Unless of course the top women are plagued with inury and mental fragility, and I do hope not as that si bad for the game.

I woudl tno midn if Serena got back up there again, I think it would make a great story and be good for the game. Although I'm nto a fan of extreme power tennis, I'd love to see an on form Serena in a grudge match against a more mature and stronger Sharapova - that coudl really make sparks fly! :D Good luck to her if she really means it and is preapred to apply herself. :)

QUESTION: is it realistic that Serena coudl get back to number one this season, or next, based on her current ranking, points etc? Just wondered as I dont; follow this side of things too closely. :)

It all depends on how dedicated she is and how many tournaments she plays. After the Australian Open, she has absolutely nothing to defend until Cincinnati and LA, so she could pick up some valuable points at Roland Garros and particularly Wimbledon.

The only major points she's got to defend are 4th round points are the US Open, and if she's in good form (which hopefully would be the case at that stage of the season) that shouldn't be a problem.

Even at her peak Serena didn't play many tournaments; she got to number one simply because she was winning the vast majority of the events she entered.

I just don't see her being ranked above someone like Sharapova or Clijsters, because barring injury they are extremely consistent and are likely to play more tournaments than Serena.

I hate arrogance in people, but for some reason, I love it when Serena is arrogant roflmao Anyway, it's great to know that she's committed and cares, and still thinks she's the best, I hope she makes it back to the top :D

Ok she talks the talk, now lets see the walk Serena at the aussie open.
I have to say i'm doubtful, there's been a steady decline with herself and Venus over the last few years, with nothing to alter that descent. Someone remarked 'she might have something up her sleeve' well i never saw any progression with both their games over the years so that would be a first.
She has the power (not a huge fan) and adds something to the game i must admit, but i don't miss there arrogant, disdain.

if she's committed to the game, tennis will be better for it.

i'm still waiting for a fresh serena v. hingis match :clap:

Knowing Serena she'll probably come out and win the aussie open! That would be so hilarious! I would be loving it! :D :D

is it safe to say that serena and hingis will be the old school girls of the AO :D

Serena has got some f**king nerve looking at the number 1 spot, she cant even see number 100 properly. As much as I like serena, she is turning into an all talk legend.

She better wise up!!!!!!

she better be in shape and show people that she's still capable of great tennis.

I have seen pictures of her and she looks in shape but can she play tennis anymore? I dont know.

i guess we'll see.

I like the way Serena's mind is set and I don't really see it as arrogance. I do chuckle when I see she's said things like this though :D

But she does need to back it up. She's nearly been on a walkabout for two seasons now and she will obviously have to put in the work to become number one again. Can't see her doing it this year (although you never know), but would really like her to get one more YE#1 under belt :)

We'll have to see, she does seem to be dumping unnecessary pressure on herself by saying this ahead of the AO, but she's got to start delivering sooner or later I suppose so why not set herself this target, if she's injury free then the best of luck to her :)

It sounds sort of tongue-in-cheek doesn't it, hearing #94 saying she's the best 'no doubt' roflmao

Ye you've gotta laugh :D

But then again I think you really never know whats going to happen; afterall I really thought Justine was going to be an incumbent number one for a while and overtake Serena in weeks at number one, but now with her AO Finalists points coming off Justine will be lucky to get back to number one for another year...

and now The Cheat will get the number one ranking by default once again :rolleyes:

roflmao

I know Maria at number one :rolleyes: :blink:

Maybe Maria will draw Serena in the first round and get bundled out losing all her points too! :D :pray: :whistle: ;)

:pray: :devil:

Im hoping failing something from Serena Kim will face Maria in the semis and beat her :D And of course then go on to either lose to Serena in the final or win her second slam :)

For me it would be great to see four from Maria, Serena, Kim, Mauresmo, Hingis at close to or at their best (probably not gonna happen this early with Serena) get to the semis and fight it out for the title. Mouth-watering stuff....but wishful thinking I reckon..

I want to see Serena and Hingis in the finals, with Jankovic and Sharapova the beaten semi finalists.

it's time for martina to level their H2H.

Confidence, arrogance.. or just rank stupidity (yes, bad pun! :lol: )?? :shrug:

Obviously in theory she could. Age is not a factor. Amelie is 27, for example. JHH is 24-ish.

However.. both of the Williams sisters have lost a lot of their appetite for the game. And more than anything else, when that happens, it is nigh-on impossible to fully restore former glories. The best way to describe it as when someone falls out of love in a relationship.. often cannot be restored once the fire has gone.

Also, both Venus and Serena could understandably say: been there, done that, and no doubt often have said this. Certainly would makae them less hungry for success.

Also Serena's game puts quite a toll on her body. And if she's out of shape, then that's when she is most injury-prone.

Also, the likes of Jankovic beating both Serena and Venus in the space of a few weeks is surely an indication that they couldn't trample all before them like they used to. The vast majority of the top 20 re now power-hitters.

Top 10, certainly possible, but number 1? Would be an even bigger achievement than the Serenaslam imo.

Is there anyone in the women's game who has actually taken an extended break from the game and regained their number one slot?? The main examples of former number ones that took extended breaks and came back that spring to mind are Hingis, Seles, Capriati..

Serena is so confident, it beggars belief, but i love to hear it :D

Both sisters have a way of talking about the rest of the tour as if they're nothing players- love it :D roflmao

I just want Serena to play regular tournaments and play well. As she plays more, the fitness will come i feel. Unless Sofia Arvidson gets on a roll you cant see many challenging her in Hobart roflmao

I hope the forehand has improved, all over the place at the Open tbh, and she was hitting these random slice forehands, which does nothing for her :wacko:

So looking forward to Serena back on court! :yahoo:

I agree that with her physical game Serena needs to WATCH OUT for injuries. Play a reduced schedule which she does anyway.

Problem for her getting to number one is the fact that she plays fewer tournaments and thus it would take her about 2/3 slams plus wins in tier 1's for example to get back on top.

Also I do agree that the top 20 has improved, but to what extent. I am still not convinced that the her becoming no.1 now would be a higher acheivement than the Serena Slam.

There are the same old players around - Henin, Clijsters, Hingis, Mauresmo, !!! Schynder !!!, Petrova and Dementieva. Her record against such players is exemplary and whilst I admit they have improved, I doubt that if she got back to her old ways they would be able to turn the tables.

There are new players like Ivanovic, Jankovic, Kuznetsova, Vaidasova who are the new 'power players' of this generation. But if you rewatch the Ivanovic-Serena Us Open 3rd round I think, the supposed 'hardest hitting' youngster doesn't come close in power to an out-of-form Serena.

Her athleticism and power is still unmatched although the gap has been decreased to an extent by players improving their own games.

Serena's fans say this alot but I must agree 2002 Serena would be no.1 today still.

Yes, I don't dispute your last sentence at all..

And I realise that the Serenaslam thing is debateable.. but she had serious momentum back then to power her way to all those slams.. but the fact that no-one else has ever returned to teh game to go to number 1 after an extended absence.. and the fact taht others have completed the slam.. made me rank it higher in terms of achievmeents.

Pretty sure Capriati was never #1 during the first part of her career - WTA site lists her as becoming #1 on Oct 15, 2001.

I suppose it depends on what you mean by "extended breaks" - JHH was out for 7 or 8 months in 2004/5 but finally made it back to #1.

I agree with most of what petal says; it's extreemely difficult to see her getting back to 2002 dominance. But I also agree with what dl says about her being the best player on the tour when on form.

The thing is Serena is never going to play loads of tournies, nor has she ever. So it will always be difficult for her to get back to number one, the thing is though that when she's in shape and playing well she's very consistent, she doesn't play her best every match, but she plays well every match and will win 80% of them even when not playing her best. This is why I think theoretically Serena could get back to number one even on a reduced schedule; if the slams were there. As lets face it the only reason Serena ever got to number one was because she held most of the slams.

If she starts winning the slams again and plays some tournies and wins a couple inbetween I see it as inevitable that she should be number one again. Of course the biggest challenge will be personally for Serena to dedicate herself so she can do this, or give herself a chance to at least. I think that on a personal level if she managed this, this would be as big to Serena as winning the Serena Slam. BUT she isn't going to be number one until she's won a couple more slams, so if she does ever get back to number one; we will already be in a state of affairs where she has already established herself as the best in the world again and becoming number would be a bit of formality really.

As LDF said before Maria and Kim are very consistent and play more tournies than Serena ever has so it is difficult to see her overtaking them...ever! But if she plays well again then she is going to get in their way a lot at slams and tier 1s and prevent them gaining so many points in the first place, as they have over recent years. Anyway pure conjecture, although interesting for me as a Serena fan :)

My main concern is that Serena plays well and PLAYS at all throughout the year.

I would agree with that SW19.. The biggest challenge facing her is whether she still has that hunger.. and dl is right.. with the right approach to the game she could be number one.. but that is the big question.. and that attitude has to be both on court and off court.. and whether she is prepared to make the sacrifices necessary in order to achieve that.

There is one thing that has occurred to me.. One of the things about the Williams sisters was that when they burst onto the scene, it was partly their lack of reverence for the establishment etc that gave them that fearlessness.. They grabbed the women's game by the scruff of the neck and gave it a good shaking!!

but the flipside of this is that I don't know how deeply they actually respect the game, with an awareness of its history, and from that how they could make big history if they could be the top 2 players again. It could be a huge incentive, but it depends on their take on things, as I said... but whilst the fighting talk is all well and good, it's how they behave away from the cameras, the media, how they put in the long hours to get themselvces into shape for a season of tennis.

Us humble spectators only see the tip of the iceberg, and it remains to be seen whether Serena is walking the walk in terms of preparation.. and shedding some of her other interests in the process..

yes us fans really don't know the half of it...

I think the hunger to be part of the prestige and history of it all was what drove them to be slam winners in the first place; but as you said a huge aspect of them was their fearlessness and lack of respect for the tennis establishment of the time i.e. Steffi Graf, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis and Moncia Seles. Now the Williamses sisters ARE the establishement themselves, they are the veterans with everything to lose. This has been difficult for them to an extent I feel...

However commitment has been Serena's main and primary problem recently, plus being naturally injury prone of course :rolleyes:

That is the question - and I have to say that hearing her making statements about it being only a matter of time before she's back at #1 does not give me huge hope that she has got her head around having to slog her way back to the top.

Not for the first time Serena gives the impression that she thinks it's still 2002, when 95% of players were beaten before they even stepped on court against her. The aura of invincibility is long gone, and it won't be won back at all easily.

This is a valid point.

Hingis has certainly found things have moved on since she was last around. Although in her case, she was obviously on the decline before she left and it was apparent she was not the top dog.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Seles
Seles did regain the no.1 spot although I am curious to see how she ended 1995, no.1 with 1 slam final and 1 tier 1??wikipedia gone wrong??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Capriati
Capriati had such a long career wow despite not playing since 04. In her case she only got the no.1 in 2001 - the second part of her career, she never originially had it in 91/92 although she must have been close.

Apart from this, Serena still has alot to do to regain the number 1.

Seles was given the joint #1 position for a certain number of tournament when she came back after the stabbing. I'm not sure whether she maintained the #1 ranking in her own right after her dispensation period ran out.

Ah okies I see.

As for SerenaW19 and Petals points. I agree whilst it took Mauresmo no slam to get to no.1 (for the first time) it took basically 2 or more slams for both Williams to gain their no.1 (at the least).

I feel however if she wins 2 slams minimum (no mean feat) she can gain her aura back. People will start to talk about the 'comeback'. One slam is merely another flash in the pan. Once she gets in a roll, or anyone for that matter (i.e. Federer) players become apprehensive again. Especially of Serena who despite being a nice person takes you out agressively with her hard hitting winners. You feel more threatened.

I would personally prefer to be beaten by Federer because he does it 'nicely' with variety etc. With the williams you just get hacked to death.

Folks, Sharapova doesn't play that many tournaments in fact she has played the 4th least amount of tournaments for any player in the top 50, only JHH and Venus & Lindsay (who have been injured most of the past 12 months) have played less than her....

As was said before, it isn't the number of tournaments that is played that is key.. it's number of matches.

An if Sharapova plays most if not alll of a tournament then inevitably she will play less tournaments..

I don't know if you read my reply to yourr thoughts on this in another thread SG? :shrug:

I realise that Petalp, I was just mentioning the fact that Sharapova doesnt actually play that many tournies when people were suggesting that she did....