Film-fan Serena Williams yet to reflect on Wimbledon win
Serena Williams has yet to consider her Wimbledon accomplishments after admitting on Tuesday that she was distracted by movies on her flight to California to play in a WTA event.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: July 11, 2012 10:33 AM IST
Serena Williams has yet to consider her Wimbledon accomplishments after admitting on Tuesday that she was distracted by movies on her flight to California to play in a WTA event.
"I haven't had a lot of time to process anything," the world number four confessed after watching "at least five movies" during the trans-Atlantic journey a day earlier to the WTA Stanford Classic.
"I don't know where I am now. I haven't reflected on what I did," joked the Wimbledon singles and doubles winner.
"I watched at least five movies on the plane. Like "The Hunger Games." That kept me away from too much reflection."
Williams returned to the WTA top five after lifting her fifth Wimbledon trophy and 14th Grand Slam singles crown overall.
The titles came after a first-round loss at the French Open, a defeat which the 30-year-old said affected her more than any other in her career.
"I haven't had a chance to enjoy it. It was a super-hectic two weeks, the most hectic ever," she said of Wimbledon. "But with the way that I'm feeling I really wanted to get on that plane and come here."
The 30-year-old American also pronounced herself in the best shape of her life and eager to defend her title during a hardcourt interlude prior to the July 28 start of the Olympic tournament on grass at the All England Club.
Williams will begin her title defence on Wednesday against teenage Stanford student Nicole Gibbs, who beat Thai qualifier Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 6-4, 6-4.
Gibbs, 19 and ranked 403, will be playing only her second WTA main draw match when she faces Williams.
"I will be nervous, no question about that," said Gibbs, who was a ballgirl for Serena at an exhibition tournament in Cleveland seven years ago and actually had a five-minute practice session with Williams and her sister Venus.
But the challenger will not be a lamb to the slaughter.
"I couldn't have any less pressure," Gibbs said. "It's an experience which I have to enjoy and present myself as competitive in that match."
Williams returned to tennis just over a year ago after nearly a year of health issues, including two foot operations and blood clots on her lungs in February of 2011. She now takes nothing for granted.
"You need to enjoy every moment," said the former number one, who set a record with 102 aces during Wimbledon and who feels no danger of over-playing.
"Coming straight over to play was the best thing that I could have done," Williams said. "I'm feeling amazing and healthy. As long as it's like that, I need to keep playing."
Williams said that after presenting her fashion collection on July 18, she will go to Paris, where she keeps a flat, and then arrive at the London Olympics early prior to the start of tennis one day after the opening ceremony.
Williams, second-seeded 2009 winner Marion Bartoli, number three Slovak Dominika Cibulkova and Serbian fourth seed Jelena Jankovic all have first-round byes.