Australian Open: Fearlessness of youth the biggest threat to Serena Williams

Serena Williams has pared back her playing schedule in order to remain competitive into her late 30s. Picture: AAP

The opportunity to equal and break Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand-slam singles titles means everything for Serena Williams, who is one behind as it stands.

If the total she was chasing were 30, then perhaps Serena would not be playing any more. But when it is so close, she will not want to quit until she gets it. This has been the only goal for Serena in the past couple of years. This is what is driving her. Everything she does is pointed towards this.

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Some people question the significance of Margaret’s total, given that she won 13 of the titles in the amateur era, but this is unfair. Margaret won what she could against the field that was in front of her. Obviously there is more competition now, but it is pointless to compare the eras. The number is all that matters in the record books.

I don’t believe that Serena will be more motivated to equal the record in Australia, Margaret’s home country, than at Wimbledon, the US Open or the French Open. She will not care where she makes history. She will be trying just as hard as she does anywhere else.

The start of this season has been very promising for Serena, winning her first title in three years at the ASB Classic in Auckland. Even though it is a regular tournament, there will be a confidence boost from picking up a trophy of any sort. She seems fit after training really hard. She is also now match tough after playing five rounds in Auckland, which is enough for her to pick up her timing. This was the perfect preparation.

It did not come as a surprise that Serena shut down her season after losing in the final of the US Open in early September. She has basically played the absolute minimum of a schedule for a long time now.

Players are competing in fewer tournaments overall these days but Serena has taken it to another level, which does seem to work well for her. She is physically fresher than I was at 38 years old, with fewer matches in her legs. She has more energy at this stage of her career because she has been playing as little as possible in recent years.

The tour in general has become more centred around the grand slams in the past 20 years. The other regular tournaments really don’t matter. For Serena, there is no glory in winning another WTA Premier Mandatory event – the third tier of tournaments on the women’s tour below the grand slams and the season-ending WTA Finals. No one really cares about that. All that matters is winning an extra slam or two. I understand the focus on that.

One notable change that allows players such as Serena to compete in fewer events is equipment technology. The racquets are more forgiving, with stronger frames and more string tension, so that it is easier to recover your timing and get a feel for the ball. Therefore, you don’t have to play as much and you protect your body in the long term.

Because I was repeatedly serving and volleying during my career, I needed a lot of feel for taking the pace off the ball. These days, however, approaching the net is a lost art. Banging the ball around from the baseline does not take that much finesse. It is now more of a question of staying fit and healthy, rather than concentrating on technique. It makes life a little bit easier that way for the modern-day player. Now there are so many more excelling into their 30s. Yes, they are in great physical shape, but there is no doubt that the equipment has also made a big difference.

A challenge for Serena at this stage of her career is that the young generation is more confident than before. These are female athletes who have not had to fight just for the right to play. They truly feel that it is their right to be there, and they have the attitude and confidence that comes with that. Players such as Naomi Osaka, 22, and Bianca Andreescu, 19, have more self-belief against Serena.

The younger they are, the less respect they have for their elders. I know when I was 18 that there was no way I was losing to someone over 30 years old. Serena is also not playing as well as she did 10 years ago, so the chance is there to claim one of the great scalps. The young generation has respect but they do not fear. That is the difference.

It is a concern for Serena that she has not won a set in her past four grand-slam finals, and the cause is a combination of factors. Playing average tennis will not cut it against the world’s best players. There have also clearly been nerves when she is that close to equalling the record. But Serena still keeps putting herself in the position to make history. If she gets there again in two weeks’ time, I think we will see a different result.

THE SUNDAY TIMES