Serena Williams turns 40: Sam Stosur pays tribute to the athlete that has transformed tennis

Few players have been around as long as Serena Williams, fewer will achieve what she has. Sam Stosur hails the GOAT and reflects on that infamous meltdown.

Serena Williams, (L), argues with chair umpire Eva Asderaki during the women's championship match against Stosur

Sam Stosur has stared-down an angry Serena Williams.

Ten years later and several more Serena meltdowns later, they still haven’t discussed the moment the GOAT lost her cool in their US Open 2011 final.

And while Stosur admits to feeling slightly shocked at the time, she is quick to pay tribute to Williams, who celebrates her 40th birthday Sunday.

Speaking from hotel quarantine after winning the US Open women’s doubles title with Zhang Shuai, Stosur said Williams has been a cultural and sporting icon with her influence extending far beyond the court.

Powerful, persistent and purposeful.

Sam Stosur celebrates her 2011 US Open championship with runner-up Serena Williams. Picture: Getty Images

From withstanding racist remarks and body-shaming comments, through to medical issues after giving birth to her daughter, Olympia, in 2017, Williams has been more than a survivor.

She has been a trailblazer building her own Grand Slam personal brand all the while competing and clawing for her record-tying 24th major title alongside Margaret Court.

Standing on the other side of the court and on tour for most of Serena’s career has been Stosur.

Stosur is one of the few to personally know how an opponent feels when Williams gets angry and emotional like during their 2011 US Open clash which Stosur won 6-2, 6-3.

“What you see is what you get with Serena. She is quite out there with social media and she doesn’t usually hold back with what she thinks,” Stosur said.

“But we also have to remember that with what she has achieved, she lives in a different world than most of us.

“She is a phenomenal athlete and one of the greatest of all time. But what has made her special and great hasn’t just been about hitting the ball.

“It’s the whole package.

“Serena has always been heavily involved on tour - even when she hasn’t been on the Player Council - and her voice carries a lot of weight.

“She’s been through generations of players and she has fantastic insight on how the tour can work ... and then she has so many business interests.

“She is a part owner of the Miami Dolphins ... she’s a mum ... I couldn’t even really imagine what her day looks like.”

Serena Williams celebrates with daughter Alexis Olympia. Picture: Getty Images

While Williams cuts a serious, focused figure during the Slams, Stosur said away from the Big Four Majors Williams can be quite relaxed.

“It really depends on the setting. We were both playing in the IPTL (International Premier Tennis League) one year in Asia ... and in the locker room she was so chilled and chatty,” Stosur said.

“But when push comes to shove and it’s game time, she is a serious figure.”

Stosur, 37, said the pair had never discussed the 2011 incident in which Williams was penalised a point for shouting out “come on” before Stosur had a chance to hit the ball.

The penalty resulted in Williams approaching the umpire and saying: “Aren’t you the one who screwed me over the last time I was here? You have it out for me?”

Williams then called the umpire “a hater”, “a loser” and “unattractive inside”.

“That was very intense ... it was actually a daunting experience. It was a situation on court that I’d never been through before,” Stosur said.

Serena Williams, (L), argues with chair umpire Eva Asderaki during the women's championship match against Stosur

“I could feel the crowd’s energy change - I had been able to silence a lot of the crowd by winning some early games and the first set.

“It wasn’t like they were against me ... but they were for Serena.

“I remember sitting down at a change of ends and my heart rate ... I was like is there a microphone near me because they are going to pick up my heartbeat.

“But thankfully I was able to settle down and get on with it.”

Stosur is hoping Williams will back in Melbourne for the Australian Open in January after pulling out of the US Open with a torn hamstring.