With a third Coupe Suzanne Lenglen in the bag, Serena Williams jetted back across the Atlantic and wound up in Jack Nicklaus’s North Palm Beach back yard.
Naturally.
Continuing her tradition of skipping the grass court lead-up events before Wimbledon, the world No.1 took a week to rest up, shaking that flu, before opting to join sister Venus at the golfing legend’s home in preparation for the year’s third Grand Slam event.
Me and Venus were at Jack Nicklaus's place. He's so nice to let us use his courts
An avid tennis fan, 73-year-old Nicklaus has three grass courts and plays most weekends.
When Williams defeated Caroline Wozniacki for last year’s US Open title, she drew level with the “Golden Bear” on 18 majors.
No golfer has won more.
Nicklaus is one of only five golfers to have won all four of golf’s majors but never achieved the feat in the same calendar year.
Williams now stands to achieve something he never accomplished.
Serena is half way to a Calendar Grand Slam - will she complete it? #WimbledonAwaits pic.twitter.com/n4OQ4l0soN
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 27, 2015It is the first time in her career she has won the season’s opening two Grand Slam events and arrives at Wimbledon as hot a favourite as in any previous year.
“That's where we've been training. Me and Venus were at Jack Nicklaus's place. He's so nice to let us use his courts. It was fun,” Williams said. “(They’re) very good courts.”
The possiblity of completing her first calendar slam does not seem to weigh too heavily on the five-time champion’s mind.
“Personally, it doesn't make it feel any different, which I think is a good thing ’cause I don't feel any pressure to win all four,” she said. “I've been saying that, but I really don't feel that pressure. Maybe if I would happen to win here, then maybe I might start feeling it after that.
“I think the fact that I lost so early the past couple years definitely makes me motivated. But I think that also gives me a little less pressure because I haven't done well here in the past two years. It makes me feel like, OK, I'll be fine. I have nothing to lose here. I don't have many points to defend here. So it's just like trying to have fun, go through it.”
Williams will close to within one slam of equalling Steffi Graf’s haul of 22 should she reclaim her crown at SW19.
Surely, you would expect each triumph to no longer rouse the same level of elation.
It has been 15 years of winning them, after all.
Not quite, Williams explains.
“You know, two years ago I would say yes, I definitely enjoyed winning them more, like a year and a half ago, two years ago, than I did when I was younger,” she said. “Now I think it's even. When you're young and you first win, it's like, great. You want to go to all these different countries, winning all these Grand Slams, it's an amazing feeling. But now I still feel that way. I feel just as excited, not more excited, but I feel just as excited.”
If she needed any new motivation there is the chance to win on the 40th anniversary of African American trailblazer Arthur Ashe’s triumph.
His is a legacy Williams has often cited, the first and stil the only black man to win a Grand Slam title.
“You know, after 40 years, his legacy still lives on in one of the greatest ways. That was just an amazing match that he played. It was against Connors, I believe,” she said.
“It's been a lot I think for just African Americans not just in tennis, but in all of sports in breaking barriers, Arthur Ashe and everything he did for tennis.
“My only wish is that I met him when I was a little older. Even though I was super young, he was doing a clinic, and I remember being in that clinic and just thinking, wow, I'm hitting with Arthur Ashe. This is so cool. He was so nice.
“He took his time with all the kids that were there. You know, he took a lot of time with me and with Venus. It was a great moment. It's something that one never forgets. It just kind of always lives with you.”
