Top favorite Serena dances around scribes
Source: Agencies |
August 27, 2012, Monday
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SERENA Williams was hailed as the greatest women's tennis player ever on Saturday before reacting angrily to criticism of her exuberant Olympic celebrations.
Two days before the start of the US Open at Flushing Meadows, Williams was testy with reporters in New York, agitated by repeated references to her post-match dance in London.
She claimed to be unaware of negative comments about the so-called Crip Walk she performed after winning the gold medal by beating Russia's Maria Sharapova at the Games.
"I read zero press," Williams said.
"That has been my policy since I was 17. I don't know what was made too much of or whether it was too little. I think winning the Olympics was awesome for me and for the USA.
"I'm still kind of in the Olympic moment. I love the Olympics. I was just so proud of the final tally of gold medals that I contributed to. It was really awesome."
The Crip Walk is a hip-hop dance made famous by Crip gang members in Compton, California, in the 1970s.
"First of all, it was just a dance," she said. "I didn't know that's what it was called. Second, why are you asking me that? Like that's so - I mean, if anything you should be trying to ask me questions to lift me up, not bring up such things. I'm done with that question."
On the heels of her victories at Wimbledon and the Olympics, Williams is widely seen as the US Open favorite.
Earlier, three-time champion Kim Clijsters said Williams is the best player of all-time. "To me Serena is the best ever just because I think physically, she just stands out," the Belgian said.
"When she's in good shape I think she just stands out tremendously. She's fast, she's strong, she has a very good eye. The combination of that is - I mean, what we have seen over the last few months is the best player ever."
Williams shied away from Clijsters' claim because her 14 major titles compared unfavorably to Margaret Court (24), Steffi Graf (22) and Martina Navratilova (18).
"I never think about that," she said. "I can't sit here and say I'm the best ever. I'm not. I'm not worthy of that title. I'm just Serena.
"I love playing tennis and I'm good at it. Just because I'm good at it doesn't make me the best. If you're going by titles, you have to go by that."
Fourth seed Williams gave the favorite's nod to defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia, who beat her in last year's final, and top seed Victoria Azarenka, the reigning Australian Open champion from Belarus.
Two days before the start of the US Open at Flushing Meadows, Williams was testy with reporters in New York, agitated by repeated references to her post-match dance in London.
She claimed to be unaware of negative comments about the so-called Crip Walk she performed after winning the gold medal by beating Russia's Maria Sharapova at the Games.
"I read zero press," Williams said.
"That has been my policy since I was 17. I don't know what was made too much of or whether it was too little. I think winning the Olympics was awesome for me and for the USA.
"I'm still kind of in the Olympic moment. I love the Olympics. I was just so proud of the final tally of gold medals that I contributed to. It was really awesome."
The Crip Walk is a hip-hop dance made famous by Crip gang members in Compton, California, in the 1970s.
"First of all, it was just a dance," she said. "I didn't know that's what it was called. Second, why are you asking me that? Like that's so - I mean, if anything you should be trying to ask me questions to lift me up, not bring up such things. I'm done with that question."
On the heels of her victories at Wimbledon and the Olympics, Williams is widely seen as the US Open favorite.
Earlier, three-time champion Kim Clijsters said Williams is the best player of all-time. "To me Serena is the best ever just because I think physically, she just stands out," the Belgian said.
"When she's in good shape I think she just stands out tremendously. She's fast, she's strong, she has a very good eye. The combination of that is - I mean, what we have seen over the last few months is the best player ever."
Williams shied away from Clijsters' claim because her 14 major titles compared unfavorably to Margaret Court (24), Steffi Graf (22) and Martina Navratilova (18).
"I never think about that," she said. "I can't sit here and say I'm the best ever. I'm not. I'm not worthy of that title. I'm just Serena.
"I love playing tennis and I'm good at it. Just because I'm good at it doesn't make me the best. If you're going by titles, you have to go by that."
Fourth seed Williams gave the favorite's nod to defending champion Samantha Stosur of Australia, who beat her in last year's final, and top seed Victoria Azarenka, the reigning Australian Open champion from Belarus.
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