NEW YORK: Serena Williams enters the US Open making a case for herself not only as the greatest women's tennis player in history, but possibly the greatest woman in sports history.
The 33-year-old star has sustained a level of excellence few can rival, from winning her first Grand Slam singles title as a teen prodigy at the 1999 US Open to collecting her 21st last month at Wimbledon, completing her second career "Serena Slam" of holding all four major trophies at once.
Winning a record-tying fourth consecutive US Open women's title, a feat last achieved by Chris Evert in 1978, would give Williams something she has never achieved before -- a calendar year Grand Slam -- and link her with only a handful of the game's greatest legends, men or women.
But it's not something world number one Williams wants to contemplate just yet. It's like pondering a good book before the last chapter is written, especially as Williams is penning an epic tale that doesn't appear set to end anytime soon.
"I just want to play tennis," Williams said. "I don't necessarily want to hear about this history and that history, because I just want to be able to do the best that I can. I want to be able to win and I don't want any distractions. That's how I'm going to handle it."
When the year's final Grand Slam event starts Monday in New York, Williams will be a huge favorite. She has won Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open six times each and collected three French Open crowns.
"I compete a lot against my standards," Williams said. "I have such high standards for myself and I expect the best from me and nothing less."
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