Serena Williams walked up to the baseline down match point aware that it would not have been a tragedy for her to lose one more point. Four years on from her last singles appearance as a professional tennis player, the 44-year-old had been competitive against a talented young opponent and she had fought hard for every point. Some would say that she could not have asked for more from herself.
However, Williams has always asked the world of herself, and for so much of her 31-year career she has successfully delivered those lofty goals. One point from defeat in the second set tie-break against Maya Joint, Williams fired down two spectacular first serves that guided her from the brink of defeat into a final set.
