Serena Williams hails Tiger Woods’ influence as she continues her US Open run
The tennis star was at the top of the world when she won the 2011 US Open. Now Serena is about to make history at this year’s US Open with a win against Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard.
Williams is hoping for something different, though – and the former world number two believes Tiger Woods is the one who inspired her to become a tennis star.
Despite Williams’ current success, her victory over the 22-year-old Bouchard with a 6-1 6-3 victory, she is hoping to take an even more emotional swan dive in front of Woods at the US Open.
“I believe he has the secret,” she said. “It’s a combination of hard work, hard work, hard work, hard work and he’s so good at that. He’s so amazing at the mental and physical level of tennis.”
Woods, in a moment of self-reflection, said he has realised how far he has come since first winning the 2005 US Open and says it is time to turn the page on his career.
“I think I’ve achieved everything out there,” he said. “I think I’ve been a great champion. I’ve won everything. I haven’t taken a year off since 2007. I’ve been doing it for the last eight years and I just think that’s the new story.”
The 43-year-old Woods has never shied away from discussing his achievements and says he never forgot how special it was for him to win the US Open.
“It was so special to win this tournament,” he said. “I had the feeling that I won this tournament for the first time in my life and I really never forgot that feeling.
“I don’t have a word that I use to describe that feeling, I don’t think there’s a word that I haven’t used over the years about that. I’m like, what the hell
