Wimbledon champion Serena irked over number two WTA status (Feature)

By Bill Scott Jul 5, 2009, 11:04 GMT

London - After lifting a third Wimbledon singles title and joining her sister Venus for the doubles crown, Serena Williams could care less that her WTA ranking will stay at number two behind Russian Dinara Safina Monday.

'I don't know what to do to be number one,' said Serena, who beat sister Venus in the weekend singles showdown. 'I don't even care anymore. I'm just happy to be here.'

Williams is not the only one puzzling over the number-crunching on the WTA which will keep shy Safina at the top the rankings despite having not won a Grand Slam.

Williams owns two this season after beginning with success in Melbourne for her 11th major, Safina owns two titles from six finals, playing for the Australian and French Open crowns.

But the American, who plays one of the most limited schedules imaginable - just 13 events in 2008 compared to 21 for the Russian - is mathematically penalised by her lack of events.

That won't change unless Williams steps up her tournament pace, which is unlikely to happen.

'I'm not super motivated. I think if you hold three Grand Slam titles (since the US Open last September) in the past maybe you should be number one. But not on the WTA Tour obviously, so...

'My motivation is maybe just to win another Grand Slam and stay number two, I guess,' said Williams.

While Williams now owns 11 Grand Slam singles honours and departs Wimbledon with combined prize money between herself and her sister reaching almost 2.5 million dollars, the ill feeling about her ranking obviously remains.

'I see myself as number two, that's where I am,' she said with more than a hint of sarcasm. 'I think Dinara did a great job to get to number one - she won Rome and Madrid.'

Williams tried to backtrack slightly on the potential catfight with her rival, adding: 'Maybe if I'd gotten to the French Open semi-finals, maybe things would have been different.

'But I'm not picking on anybody. Everyone works hard. Dinara, you can clearly see by her physique how hard she works. You can't get anywhere by not doing the best and not working your hardest.

'So, I'm happy for her. But I'm really excited that I won Wimbledon.'

Williams is now looking ahead to levelling on the 12 trophies of Billie Jean King 'who is completely my idol.' But the American said she's not participating in any theoretical discussions about who is the best in the women's game.

'I'm really just playing for me. I can't even put myself in a sentence with the greatest, because I think of people like Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf and Billie Jean King. You know, they were such great champions.

'To even be mentioned with those people is a real honour to me. I feel like I'm really young,' said the 27-year-old. 'I feel like I'm only thinking about my career and continuing playing.

'I feel like I did ten years ago when I won my first Grand Slam, and I'm still winning championships.'