Wimbledon, England – Not one to doubt herself, or pay any heed to those who do, Serena Williams likes her chances as she returns to the All England Club.
“Like I always say, when I’m playing well, it’s hard for anyone to beat me. It’s just a fact. I think a lot of people understand that,” said Williams, who won Wimbledon in 2002 and 2003 but missed last year’s tournament with an injured left knee. “I don’t think anyone that has to play me goes home and shouts with joy.”
Well, Lourdes Dominguez Lino, a Spaniard ranked 57th, was not invited to deliver a pre-tournament news conference, so her reaction to facing Williams will have to wait until today, when they’re scheduled to meet on Day 1 of the grass-court Grand Slam.
It’s been a tough stretch for the United States at tennis’ top level of late, with zero American men’s major champions since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open, a stretch of 14 tournaments. Things really hit bottom at the last Grand Slam, the French Open, where Roddick and the rest of the U.S. men were a combined 0-9.
The American women haven’t fared that much better, with only one finalist at the past seven Grand Slams: Williams, who won January’s Australian Open. Only one U.S. woman is seeded in the top 20 here: No. 7 Williams.
At last year’s Wimbledon, all nine U.S. men were gone before the fourth round, only the second time since 1922 that’s happened. And only one American woman, Shenay Perry, reached the fourth round.
The men’s draw features only two Wimbledon winners: 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer.
As the reigning men’s champion, Federer gets the honor of appearing first on Centre Court, where he plays Teimuraz Gabashvili, a Russian ranked 85th.
