No longer No 1 but Serena still the one to beat

She may have lost her No 1 standing but Serena Williams is still a formidable opponent.

Serena Williams eggs herself on after winning a point against Tamara Zidansek Picture: Getty Images

Serena Williams has relinquished the world No 1 ranking to Ash Barty but no matter how many more tournaments the Australian plays every year, no matter how many more trophies she lifts and no matter how many more computer points she collects on her global travels, the indomitable American will still consider herself to be the best player in the world.

Williams beat Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek 6-2 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday evening to move ominously into the third round of the Australian Open.

The second set was an anxiety-riddled, temple-busting fight against herself as much as her gallant young foe. But she still marked herself as the player to beat at Melbourne Park.

The benchmark. Undoubtedly so. Unquestionably so.

She was the world No 1, on and off, for six years before a sparse schedule in the gloaming of her career triggered her fall to the current position of No 9.

Consider this: Williams played 33 matches last year, compared to Barty’s 70.

The rankings would normally never lie but in women’s tennis right now, let’s be honest, they might be telling a bit of a fib.

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Williams versus Zidansek was a 23-time major champion versus a 22-year-old who had played only nine majors matches in her life. Williams started with all guns blazing. She had that steely quiet aura that normally accompanies her most formidable outings.

She bolted from the gates and was expected to only get quicker.

But the second set was such a conundrum she constantly screamed self-admonishment and then encouragement.

Complications arose in converting break points — she lost 10 of 12 and it was doing her head in – but still she oozed danger.

Biggest serve on tour? Williams. Biggest ground strokes? Williams. A baseball pitcher could not send a ball on its way with more disguise.

After all these years and accomplishments, and despite having the match after the first set, she goaded herself as if it was a three-hour epic that required all her attention. She hunted the ball in her eagerness to hit it.

Having been introduced while Tina Turner’s Simply The Best was played over the loudspeakers, she stayed on course for a potential semi-final against Barty.

Plenty of water to go under the bridge before then, three matches each to be precise, but a head-to-head showdown to decide the real world No 1 would fill the MCG, let alone RLA.

The 38-year-old Williams’ performance followed an absorbing victory at Melbourne Park by her fellow American, the 15-year-old sensation Coco Gauff, who overcame Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea 4-6 6-3 7-5.

Gauff hollered and hustled and got in Cirstea’s face with full-throated roars.

At one stage during the match, when the emotion was off the charts, she leaned across the net to ensure eye contact.

She hit the cover off the ball. There was a ferocious appetite for the battle. Sound familiar?

Short-term, Gauff moved into a mouth-watering clash on Friday against defending champion Naomi Osaka. Long-term, when the time comes for Serena to hand over the baton, Gauff might be the one she gives it to.

Gauff lost 6-3 6-0 to Osaka at last year’s US Open.

“My mindset just is I’m going to fight. If I lose, the world is not going to end,” she said.

“I’ll be less nervous this time. I think during the US Open, I was nervous. It was my first time on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“We’re both familiar with each other’s games.

“She plays really aggressive.

“This time coming in I’m going to be more aggressive. I’ve felt her ball before. I’m more confident this time around.”