FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Here’s an interesting news and note you don’t find out every day.
If you tell a secret to Serena, she will keep it.
That’s what Andy Roddick did and no one knew about the retirement heard around Flushing until A-Rod divulged the news himself.
“I’m good at keeping secrets, so if you tell me something, I never open my mouth to anybody,” she said. “You know, not even to my friends. I was hoping he’d change his mind. I love that guy. I love Andy. He’s just a great person.”
So yeah, they are good friends and we are sure if Serena gave Roddick a secret, he will keep it.
But the younger Williams sister is like an open book these days and frankly, it’s no secret that she is dominating this tournament.
And today she dispatched Ekaterina Makrova in straight sets, 6-4 6-0 to advance to the fourth round.
“Definitely was motivated,” she said. “Knowing that I lost, could definitely happen again. Did not want that to happen.
“So whether I learned something, I don’t know. I really hate watching matches that I lose unless I’m punishing myself. I didn’t punish myself.”
And here’s a secret, Serena learns from her mistakes. Makarova beat Serena in the fourth round of the Australian Open back in January, so there was some vengeance here.
But Serena didn’t watch any tape or anything like that when preparing for the rematch.
“Definitely was motivated,” she said. “Knowing that I lost, could definitely happen again. Did not want that to happen. So whether I learned something, I don’t know. I really hate watching matches that I lose unless I’m punishing myself. I didn’t punish myself.”
She said watching her losing matches was like “stabbing herself” so she relied upon others to do that. In this case her father gave her some advice.
“I talked to my dad, who always gives me the right advice and tells me what to do, but not too much outside of that,” she said. “I really focus on what I need to do in my game. You know, what happened in Australia was that and that was then; really try to focus on the now.”
And now, Serena is advancing. She is becoming the star attraction again in Flushing Meadows after missing the tournament two years ago. She made the finals last year but was still coming back from her pulmonary embolism.
Now though she is fully healthy and looking tremendously strong.
“It’s been extremely fun,” she said. “I’ve really appreciated the past few months.
“Really the past year has been really amazing. Coming back playing ‑‑ starting at Wimbledon, even though I think I lost in the fourth round, but pretty much did really well since then, really consistent, and came from, you know, 170‑something to back being, you know, top 5 and obviously trying to move ahead with that.
“So it’s been really a great, fabulous time for me.”
If she is keeps rolling next week will even be more fun.
And that’s no secret.
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