Jean Appreciates Serena and my Facing Serena Williams book

It’s always a very grateful feeling to learn a reader is enjoying your book. Jeanius emailed me to say she is happy so far reading Facing Serena Williams and being that the tennis circuit is in a state of suspended animation, I decided to turn it into a story appreciating Serena Williams, who let’s not forget, is more intense, more colorful and more dramatic than John McEnroe or any pro wrestler ever was. ..

“Loving every paragraph in this book. (On p 30) She has always been my
favorite player (ahead of Seles and Hingis). I love her intensity– the shrieks the screams and all of her self expression. I do find it odd that sometimes she will hit a winning point and get mad at herself. I finally concluded that she may not have hit the shot in the way that she wanted (off center?) win or lose the point. Her heart is clearly less with tennis than with her daughter. I hope she goes out on top and not slide down to no longer being a  factor. Would make so many of us fans upset and disappointed. She wants that tie so badly she will not give up. One fewer majors does not mean she isn’t the boat (best of all time) hope she gets what she wants so we can get what we want.”

“She is the best entertainment in tennis ever. What theater!  What drama! When she threatens officials, unlike McEnroe– who was nothing but a tea kettle letting off steam–you get the scary feeling that she might even carry out the threat. Why the umps make the bad calls—especially at the worst possible times in majors– is beyond me. The commentators (some of them simpering) don’t live up to what they are witnessing.  [Don’t get me started on them—good bye  Drysdale, Carrillo, Evert].”

“There isn’t a screenwriter around who could create such a lovable and hate worthy character.  I detest the haters and bigots. They have no idea of the treasure she is. I don’t read twitter. (I have an account but don’t know how to use it!) It’s like NASCAR–the perverse excitement of seeing a wreck [especially if it’s a top driver], the astonishment and relief when the driver walks away uninjured, and the eager to see post-match interview when the driver describes track conditions, car positions, how/why the car went out of control. Boxing, too.”

“As good as she is, Osaka is a snore. Have you ever seen  a more placid and dull player? No tang. Lactose free milk. She makes catching a flounder look exciting. (Caught one once; bucket fell over and it floated away in the surf.) Think bass catching on TV.)”

“So anyway, back to Serena. She has been a miracle of a tennis player. But it’s somewhat sad to see the slower movement. Sometimes she seems to lumber around the around the court, and even waddle up to a short ball. It makes me so sad I don’t even want to watch.”

Here is a feature I did for Tennis Week magazine in 2009 about Serena…

Does Sisterly Devotion Top Sibling Rivalry?

By Jean Kirshenbaum

7/4/2009 11:04:00 PM

As glad as I am that Serena Williams has won Wimbledon, I am even sadder that Venus Williams lost. I felt just awful when the camera showed a downcast and disappointed Venus.  I attribute my strong reaction to the fact that I have an older sister with whom I am very close. Judy and I have never been competitive as adults, especially since we don’t play the same sports. I play tennis. She plays nothing.

As children? That’s another story. I think I hated Judy for most of the years we were growing up. I thought she hated me, too. We fought endlessly and my mother could not bring herself to be the referee. I was so mad at Judy during one fight that I chased her into the bathroom with a baseball bat. To this day I don’t know how she got out!  I couldn’t wait until she left for college. Anyone who knows us would say that it’s not at all that way today. And anyone who knows us is envious of our relationship. Since we are so very different, how did this come about?

We have always given the credit to our parents, who obviously did something right. In fact, my mother’s strongest aim was that Judy and I have this closeness. That may be so because it wasn’t always the case for her and her brothers and sisters. And because my father and his younger brother became estranged as adults.

Speaking of our father, Judy and I were both Daddy’s Girls. Once I even confessed to her that I was his favorite. She insisted she was his favorite! We argued a little over that and still joke about it today. We finally settled on the opinion that it’s a clever and loving Dad who can make both of his daughters feel like the favorite. Congratulations, Richard Williams and Oracene Price. The story of your family is a fascinating miracle.

But here is what I really wonder about.  When tennis is long behind them and the Williams sisters have become old women, I wonder how they will look back on these golden years of their youth and their tennis careers. My picture is that only when they are old will they l be able to retrace their matches, and finally reveal to each other the emotions they felt– both good and bad—about some of the many points, games and matches they have shared and will likely to continue to share, if we are lucky enough to have them stay around for a while.

Until they meet again. Maybe in early September at the U.S.Open?

Jean Kirshenbaum is a Tennis Week contributing writer and avid tennis player based in Pennsylvania. This column is her fifth in a series of Wimbledon From The Armchair blogs that includes For Crying Out Loud and Channeling The Queen’s English.  

Serena Williams

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