Serena Williams can surpass Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 grand slam titles, but Richard Krajicek thinks overtaking Steffi Graf was the greatest landmark for the American.
Just 10 months after giving birth to her baby and spending six weeks in a hospital bed due to complications following the delivery, Williams completed the incredible feat of reaching the Wimbledon final.
Winning the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant moved the 36-year-old beyond Graf's Open era benchmark of 22 majors, but she remains one short of Court having gone down 6-3, 6-3 to Angelique Kerber on Saturday.
But Krajicek, who triumphed at the All England Club in 1996, believes Williams has already proved herself superior to the Australian.
Asked whether Williams can move clear of Court, Krajicek told Omnisport: "I think she can go better, but I think the big one was Steffi Graf's.
"Margaret Court, I think she won like 12 or 14 Australian Opens [sic, 11] in the time when you had to go six weeks or eight weeks by boat.
"Not to take anything away from Margaret Court, but Steffi Graf was the big record she beat. Graf has another record which I think is impressive - she had the Golden Slam in '88, where she won all four grand slams in a year and the Olympic Games, so Serena doesn't have that.
"In amount Serena is better, but in that one special year Graf has something maybe more special, but both are great champions. Margaret Court is nice but for me - I don't know how Margaret Court ranks in women's tennis - but for me it's Steffi. I don't know whose one or two but those two are the two big legends for me."
A great team
Krajicek has been left in awe of Williams' ability to return to the highest level after such trying circumstances, while also highlighting the influence of her coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
"I have so much respect for her. She had really big complications after the birth, and even if there were no complications, 10 months after having a kid it's already incredible to play a grand slam final," he said.
"All the medical problems she had right after, she is just so strong, so determined - not only strong physically but mentally - and I also have to give credit to Mouratoglou, her coach.
"Tennis-wise I'm sure he's seen good things but to keep somebody motivated who won 23 grand slams and after having a kid, he's doing a wonderful job so that's a great team together with Patrick."
Comments
SHARE