'Fan Fantasy' unlikely for icon Williams

NEW YORK • After a glittering 27-year professional career in which she became one of the greatest players of all time, Serena Williams is preparing to bid farewell to tennis at the Grand Slam where it all began.

The 40-year-old sporting icon ended the guessing game surrounding her future earlier this month by revealing that the "countdown" to her retirement had started, with her final Grand Slam appearance expected at the US Open in New York starting today.

The announcement sets the stage for what will be an emotional farewell for Williams.

She won the first of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles as a 17-year-old at the 1999 US Open, beating Martina Hingis in the final. Her win in New York would light the touchpaper for the most dominant career of any female player in the Open era, her 23 Grand Slam titles second only to Margaret Court's 24.

While a record-equalling 24th title is likely to remain beyond her this week, Williams has nevertheless produced a collection of records that in all probability will never be broken.

With seven Australian Open singles titles, seven Wimbledon triumphs and six US Open victories, Williams is the only player, male or female, to win three different Grand Slams six times or more.

She has won a total of 39 Grand Slam titles, including 14 women's doubles crowns and two mixed doubles titles, and four Olympic gold medals in singles and doubles.

Her farewell to tennis in New York has become the hottest ticket in town. Her retirement announcement triggered a stampede among fans, with the first three nights of the tournament sold out. Secondary ticket markets have reported a surge in ticket prices, up 34 per cent since early this month.

Whether or not Williams is able to extend her Grand Slam career much further than today's first round remains to be seen.

Williams herself has called a 24th Grand Slam title "fan fantasy". "I get that," she said this month. "It's a good fantasy. But I'm not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment. I'm terrible at goodbyes, the world's worst."

As farewell tours go, Williams' has been more melancholy than joyful. World No. 1 for 319 weeks, Williams is ranked below 600 and is unseeded as she takes on Montenegro's Danka Kovinic in the first round today.

For however long Williams remains in the draw, the spotlight will not stray until she exits or compelling contenders emerge in what is seen as the most wide open tournament in years.

One player who could benefit from the Williams hysteria will be Emma Raducanu, who stunned the world by winning the US Open last year - becoming the first qualifier in the Open era to win a Slam.

Without a title since her Flushing Meadows victory, the 19-year-old, who has also not secured more than two match wins in a row since, has been under tremendous scrutiny and she will no doubt be happy for the former world No. 1 to hog all the limelight.

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek, winner of six events this season, enters as favourite but the Pole has seen a dramatic dip in form since lifting the French Open trophy in June.

Two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka cannot be overlooked but the Japanese has struggled for fitness after suffering an Achilles injury at Wimbledon and her poor form goes back even further - she is without a title since last year's Australian Open.

Two-time Slam champion Simona Halep, winner in Toronto, had looked a good outside bet but the Romanian was forced to withdraw from Cincinnati owing to injury, and there are question marks over her fitness.

A dark horse might sneak in this year, with big-hitting Caroline Garcia one of them. The Frenchwoman emerged from the shadows in spectacular style by becoming the first qualifier to win a WTA 1000 event, eliminating three top-10 opponents en route to her Cincinnati triumph.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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