Djokovic leaves no stone unturned in pursuit of perfection, but secrecy with drink mixture draws scrutiny from the media
There is something strange, unnatural and yet natural about the way Serena Williams finds her rhythm on the court. It is neither planned nor programmed, but it unfolds naturally.
Williams has been hitting the tennis ball with the same intensity since she was a little girl, the same way she hits her tennis racket and serves. It is not a conscious technique, but one that has developed over time with practice.
Williams is not an improviser. She likes to work out what she does well, or at least thinks she does. That way, she knows exactly how to put herself into the best condition to play. And since she is a perfectionist, she makes sure that what she does is perfect before letting the other players know. Of course, she does this over and over again, and it is part of her training.
‘‘I feel like my tennis is an extension of a work ethic I have always had from the time I was playing at home. I love to work. It gives me tremendous pleasure. And having had some success with my work ethic, it has opened doors to more success in other areas of my life,’’ Williams said in an interview with The New York Times.
In February 2013, when the Williams sisters won their sixth Wimbledon title by beating the old adversary at the last point of the third set, it was the first time they had won a Grand Slam men’s doubles title since 2005.
But their reign at the top of the game was short-lived. The American sisters lost the Australian Open final of 2013 to Serena’s compatriot, Angelique Kerber. The Williams sisters were eliminated only in the first round of the 2014 Australian Open. Then, Williams, who was in the early stages of a pregnancy with her second daughter, Alexis Olympia, was sidelined due to a stress fracture in her wrist.
But the former number one won’t rest, as she makes her fourth straight Olympic appearance at the London Olympics. And although Williams said she was feeling great after a recent workout session on the South Lawn at Windsor Great Park, she was not ready to give an interview. Williams said she wasn’t even in shape to go on a date that night.
‘‘I did two sets of one-arm drills but even after that I