US Open: Why is it so difficult to win a second grand slam?
On the eve of the Wimbledon final, Serena Williams’ second Australian Open title and Andy Murray’s 23rd Grand Slam title, one of tennis’ most enduring questions still remains.
How is it always the same players with the same results.
In 2010, the same players won the Open and the US Open. The same players won Wimbledon and the US Open. The same players won Wimbledon and the French Open.
The same players won Wimbledon and the US Open.
The same players won Wimbledon and the French Open.
The same players won Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
And so on.
But the difference this year is that one of the most gifted players on the planet didn’t even make it to the fourth round at Wimbledon. He’s been beaten by a teenager in his first round at the US Open.
And this year, at the age of 31, he’s just as much of a journeyman as he ever has been.
So what’s changed?
This is one part of the story – at least – that has to be interesting to follow.
Serena Williams won her seventh consecutive title at the Australian Open, beating the world’s number two player – Victoria Azarenka in five sets, and taking her record to 12 in total from the US, Wimbledon and the French Open.
Williams is the first player to win 14 major titles – the last one coming in 1997 – and she has a chance to match the all-time record set by Steffi Graf in 2002. Graf won 13 Grand Slam titles, including 13 in a row, and did it to the day she turned 31.
Azarenka, who had won only two of her 15 matches when they were drawn in the same round on Saturday, was clearly delighted with her progress to the final.
“Serena was so amazing today and it was a real treat to watch the women’s final on television,” she said. “I’ve been watching for a long time and knew how much energy she had.
“I was able to sit down and talk with her while I was warming up and she was able to talk to me during. I hope I can