Accomplishments walk hand-in-hand with expectations.
As crazy as this is about to sound, NO ONE expected Serena Williams to win Wimbledon. Don’t lie to me. I don’t appreciate it. Yet she’s just one match away from doing the improbable (nothing is impossible for Serena Williams).
See 316 days ago, Serena Williams was giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. And while Serena always planned to return to the game she loves, even she didn’t expect to compete for her record 24th Grand Slam Title this soon, “It’s crazy. I don’t even know how to feel, you know, because literally, I didn’t expect to do this well in my fourth tournament back.”
Ranked 25th for this year’s All England Championship, some felt she was ranked too high after a lengthy hiatus. Wimbledon, however, doesn’t play by your rules. They don’t concern themselves with world rankings. And with 9-out-of-the-top-10 players ousted before the 4th round, Serena’s path became that much easier. Not to diminish Serena’s accomplishment, but this is the worst performance by top-10 seeds in the Open Era. After steamrolling Julia Georges in just 1 hour and 9 minutes in the semifinals (6-2, 6-4), Serena should be well rested for Saturday’s finals.
Now, only Angelique Kerber stands in Serena’s way of completing one of the most impressive feats in professional tennis history.
See 274 days ago, Serena Williams was climbing out of bed for the 1st time after complications from child birth. Immediately following her daughter’s birth, Serena suffered a pulmonary embolism and blood clots in her lungs. While her doctors quickly had her on the road to recovery, she was confined to bed rest for six weeks.
Ahhhhh, yes, the realization is setting in for you, my reader, of the magnitude of Serena’s accomplishments at Wimbledon. To come from a near-death experience, to her 10th Wimbledon Final’s appearance in less than year, is not something human beings often (or ever) do.
See in 1 day, Serena Williams WILL win her 8th Wimbledon Title. She WILL continue to make history. And she WILL defy the odds.
And all we’ll be able to do, is appreciate the accomplishment, and throw expectations out the window.
Prediction: 7-6, 6-4 (The Best Who Ever Did It — Serena Williams)
Tune-in to ESPN Saturday, July 14th @ 9:00 A.M. EST to catch all the action.
Dave Talks Sports 