Chanda Rubin: 'Serena Williams can win another Major title'

Former world no. 6 and the Australian Open semi-finalist Chanda Rubin believes Serena Williams is capable of winning that elusive 24th Major title, three and a half years after the last one. Rubin expects Serena to return stronger, relaxed and motivated after such a long break caused by the coronavirus, having a chance to spend a couple of months with her family at their home. The US Open organizers have confirmed the second Major of the season from August 31, focusing on health issues that would reduce the risk of the coronavirus pandemic that has halted the season since March. The WTA season will resume on August 3 in Palermo, with another tournament a week later and the Western & Southern Open in New York, just before the US Open. The 23-time Major champion Serena Williams is eager to compete at home Major for the 20th time, seeking the seventh crown in New York and the first since 2014.

After having some doubts over those restrictions, Serena had decided to give it a go in New York and chase the first notable crown since the Australian Open 2017.

In May, Serena said she feels better than ever, using a previous couple of months to recover and give her body much needed rest after numerous injuries in the last couple of years. Returning after pregnancy in 2018, Williams reached the final at Wimbledon, losing to Angelique Kerber in straight sets and cracking the-30 again. Serena lost early in San Jose and Cincinnati, saving her best tennis for the home Major in New York where she advanced into another final, winning just six games against Naomi Osaka for more setbacks at Majors. Sidelined from the rest of 2018, Williams played well at Wimbledon, Toronto and New York last year, battling towards three title matches and losing them all to Simona Halep and Bianca Andreescu, respectively. In her most recent Major quest, Serena lost in the third round of the Australian Open, seeking much deeper run at the US Open in September and a chance to grab that 24th Major crown. 

"I think Serena can win another Major and I certainly think this period of having time off, being with her family and her daughter and not having another tournament looming will help her," said Rubin. "It's been a different kind of thought process for players. I've felt it and I'm retired, but it's just been a different way of living; in a way, it could help Serena Williams. The time off could undoubtedly help her in those big moments and matches. We've seen her repeatedly doing unbelievable things in getting to finals and not playing her best tennis there. I think, if anything, that could change. And this time, this process of having to go through some of these uncertainties can help her relax just a bit more, which might help her overcome that last hurdle."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2YwPCoS