Serena Williams admits she needed ‘negativity to be better’ while recalling how heckler helped her win Australian Open
By FirstSportz,Gouri Das
Copyright yardbarker
Back in 2010, Serena Williams reached back-to-back finals at the Australian Open and set up the clash with Justine Henin, who made a U-turn on her retirement decision after hanging up her racket in May 2008.
Williams recounted that match on her Stockton Street podcast, which she recently launched with her sister Venus Williams. She revealed how she was motivated by what a heckler yelled at her during that match.
I remember in Australia, I was playing in the final, and I had a bone bruise in both knees. I think I won the first set, think I was losing the second set, and quite frankly, I was done, I was spent, I didn’t have it in me. Then this guy in the crowd was like, ‘You see, you’re not as good as they say, I knew it. ‘
It was Henin’s first Grand Slam final since making her return to the tour. After losing the first set, Henin forced the comeback by clinching the following set. But Williams changed gears in the decider and with a 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 win, she clinched her fifth singles trophy at Flushing Meadows.
I looked at that guy, and thought, that’s what I needed, tell me no and I’ll show you that I can, I didn’t lose another game. If he hadn’t said that, the person that he was rooting for [Henin] would have won. I never could find that guy. I wonder who he was. I wanted to thank him. Where are you? I almost needed negativity to be better. Don’t give me positivity, I need negativity.Serena Williams added
It was their career’s final meeting against each other. In their overall head-to-head encounters, Williams won eight of their 14 matches.
The Belgian, also the seven-time Grand Slam champion, played two more Majors that year, losing in the fourth rounds of both the French Open and Wimbledon. She finally called time on her career the following year after her defeat in the third round of the Australian Open.
Serena Williams on what worried her a lot during the 2001 US Open final
Serena Williams scheduled her career’s first Grand Slam final against Venus Williams at the 2001 US Open. Serena was no match for her sister as she lost the final with a 6–2, 6–4 scoreline. During the Stockton Street podcast, the 43-year-old recalled that match and revealed how she was worried a lot about her friends and family members.
