After Serena Williams’ surprise, we look at the worst chokes in tennis

Grand slam matches are littered with the corpses of players with frayed nerves and cluttered minds. Nobody is immune. And Serena William’s stunning exit proves even best can crack.

Even Kim Clijsters knew what was happening in the semi against Serena in 2003. (William West)

EVERY tennis player chokes.

Some more graphically than others.

The bigger the stage, the bigger the stakes, the bigger the choke.

Grand slam matches are littered with the corpses of players with frayed nerves and cluttered minds.

Nobody is immune.

John McEnroe, Todd Martin, Jana Novotna, Gabriela Sabatini, Guillermo Coria, Kim Clijsters – some of the finest players in history - sit in tennis’ sin bin.

Martina Navratilova cringes at the term “choking.”

She especially detests the cheap vilification of athletes malfunctioning under stress.

Novotna and Navratilova were close.

It doesn’t bear thinking what Navratilova thought of the “No-No Novotna from Choke-O-Slovakia” slur.

Navratilova has a simple explanation of the mechanics of choking.

In layman’s terms, it’s putting cart before horse.

“What you have to do is break things down,” Navratilova once said.

The Duchess of Kent consoles Jana Novotna after losing the Wimbledon ladies singles final in 1993.

“What happens to people when they get close to winning is that they start thinking, ‘Oh, I could win this.’

“Well, they’re in the future then, aren’t they? They’re not in the moment any more.

“You need to think about what got you there, and get back to the game.’This is working for me, so I should keep doing this; this doesn’t work ...’

“And know that your opponent will probably start playing better, because they’ve got nothing to lose at this point, but you expect it, so you step it up too.

“And there it is. It’s a mind game that you play with yourself.”

Which is precisely what happened to Serena Williams when she led Karolina Pliskova 5-1 (40-30).

Williams claims Pliskova played “lights out” and basically didn’t miss anything after being taken to the precipice.

As one of the most successful players in history, Williams knows more about closing out matches than most.

Navratilova said winning in the latter stages of her career was tougher than at the start.

The reason? Comprehension of what is at stake.

With 23 majors, Williams is within touching distance of Margaret Court’s grand slam record.

At 37, she knows there can only be few more opportunities. Williams won majors as a teenager and a bunch more since turning 30.

Choking was never a word associated with her. It is now.

WORST CHOKES IN HISTORY:

Jana Novotna v Steffi Graf — 1993 Wimbledon final

Novotna led 4-1 and 40-30 in the third set when she collapsed. A double fault in the sixth game was the trigger. She failed to win another game.

Gabriela Sabatini v Steffi Graf — 1991 Wimbledon final

Sabatini twice served for the final. She failed on each occasion as nerves struck.

Guillermo Coria v Gaston Gaudio — 2004 French Open final

Coria led by two sets to love and, after losing a tight third set, succumbed to anxiety.

David Nalbandian famously threw it away against Marcos Baghdatis. (David Lost)

David Nalbandian v Marcos Baghdatis — 2006 Australian Open semi-final

Nalbandian led by two sets to love and, after enduring Baghdatis’ comeback, was ahead 4-2 in the fifth when he choked.

John McEnroe v Ivan Lendl — 1984 French Open final

McEnroe entered the match with a 40-0 seasonal record and the unbeaten streak looked set to continue when he led by two sets to love. Lendl, who had never won a major previously, seized his chance when McEnroe erupted at a cameraman to win the closing three sets.

Gabriela Sabatini v Mary Joe Fernandez — 1993 French Open quarter-final

Sabatini led 6-1 5-1 before she blew five match points with a string of double faults. Fernandez won the third set 10-8.

Even Kim Clijsters knew what was happening in the semi against Serena in 2003. (William West)

Todd Martin v MaliVai Washington — 1996 Wimbledon final

Martin led his US compatriot 5-1 in the fifth set and twice failed to serve it out. He failed.

Kim Clijsters v Serena Williams — 2003 Australian Open semi-final

Clijsters led Williams 6-3 5-1 and held two match points before Williams charged back to deny the Belgian in a miracle escape.

Boris Becker v Thomas Muster — 1995 Monte Carlo final

Becker led by two sets to love and held two match points in the fourth set tie-break. A double fault allowed Muster back into the contest before the Austrian raced through the final set 6-0.

Serena Williams v Karolina Pliskova — 2019 Australian Open quarter-finals

Williams led 5-1 in the third set, served for the match twice and held four match points before collapsing.

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