THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 SPORTS Serena makes case for all-time women’s legends NEW YORK: Serena Williams enters the But it’s not something world number Williams said. “I have such high stan- I see posts. I get super excited. I’m still age 17, only the second African- US Open making a case for herself not one Williams wants to contemplate just dards for myself and I expect the best living the dream.” American woman after Althea Gibson to only as the greatest women’s tennis yet. It’s like pondering a good book from me and nothing less.” At 33, Williams is the oldest women’s claim a Grand Slam title. Williams, player in history, but possibly the great- before the last chapter is written, espe- Matching her “Serena Slam” run from world number one-no man so old has coached by her father Richard, was est woman in sports history. cially as Williams is penning an epic tale the 2002 French Open through the won a Grand Slam title since 1972 — toughened on the streets of Los Angeles The 33-year-old star has sustained a that doesn’t appear set to end anytime 2003 Australian Open required Williams and her best might be yet to come. “I’ve and by practices with older sister Venus, level of excellence few can rival, from soon. to endure numerous three-set fights on definitely gotten a little better,” Williams a seven-time major champion. winning her first Grand Slam singles “I just want to play tennis,” Williams London grass, but she emerged tri- said. “I really don’t feel my age. It’s grati- Maturity brought a fashion design title as a teen prodigy at the 1999 US said. “I don’t necessarily want to hear umphant. fying at whatever age you achieve it.” business and a foot in the entertain- Open to collecting her 21st last month about this history and that history, “To have all four at the same time, Williams is three Slam singles titles ment realm as an actress, but her domi- at Wimbledon, completing her second because I just want to be able to do the two times in one career, that totally shy of matching Australian Margaret nation when focused on tennis has career “Serena Slam” of holding all four best that I can. I want to be able to win means a lot,” Williams said. “It was really Court’s all-time record and would join a made Williams the likely target for a major trophies at once. and I don’t want any distractions. That’s important for me to do that.” rare calendar-year Slam list that includes new generation of record chasers yet to Winning a record-tying fourth con- how I’m going to handle it.” Williams is only one shy of Steffi Graf, Court, Maureen Connolly, Don come. secutive US Open women’s title, a feat When the year’s final Grand Slam Graf’s Open Era career record of 22 titles Budge and Rod Laver by winning at “I think it will be great,” Williams said last achieved by Chris Evert in 1978, event starts Monday in New York, and the retired German legend tweeted Flushing Meadows. of such days. “I think it’s amazing. I would give Williams something she has Williams will be a huge favorite. She has that Williams’ feat was “incredible” and “I feel OK about my game,” Williams think I would be really supportive, like never achieved before-a calendar year won Wimbledon, the US Open and the an “amazing accomplishment.” said. “I’m always looking to improve. I’m Steffi is of me. It’s such a great feeling. I Grand Slam-and link her with only a Australian Open six times each and col- “I see her post things about me and never comfortable. That’s when I think always want to see people do well and handful of the game’s greatest legends, lected three French Open crowns. “I that’s pretty awesome,” Williams said. “I you are susceptible to losing.” be successful. I think it will be really men or women. compete a lot against my standards,” really am still like a kid when I see her or She became a US Open champion at cool.” —AFP Amir Khan vows to help Pakistan produce boxers KARACHI: British boxer Amir Khan yester- Pakistan’s sole Olympic boxing medallist day vowed to help Pakistan produce cham- is Hussain Shah, who won a middleweight pion pugilists with a network of academies bronze in the Seoul Games in 1988. The in his family’s country of origin. country has also produced an Asian Games The former two-time world champion is gold-medallist in Mehrullah Lassi, who won currently touring the South Asian giant of the featherweight division at Busan, South 200 million people better known for its Korea in 2002. prowess in cricket, and plans to set up box- Khan, who became Britain’s youngest ing schools in the western Khyber Olympic boxing medallist when he won sil- Pakhtunkhwa province, eastern Punjab, ver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, said he and the southern city of Karachi. was keen to train Pakistani boxers. “I think we have the talent to produce “I will pass my tricks to them and will do boxing champions,” the 28-year-old told my best to help them qualify for the media during a visit to Karachi’s troubled Olympics, if not the 2016 in Brazil then the Lyari area, which is frequently hit by gang next one in Japan in 2020,” he said. violence but also known for producing tal- Known for his speed and aggressive ented footballers and boxers. style, Khan won the last of his fights against “I have made a promise to the nation US boxer Chris Algieri in New York in May that I will pay back what I have achieved in before once again challenging the welter- boxing,” added the highly-rated fighter weight world champion Floyd Mayweather. from Bolton, England who has a record of But Mayweather announced earlier this 31 wins including 19 knockouts, and three month he would aim to match the 49-0 losses. career record of the legendary Rocky Khan was accompanied by a heavy Marciano in his final bout against fellow security contingent to the neighbourhood, American Andre Berto on September 12, which has long been a hub of political, eth- effectively ruling out a highly anticipated nic and criminal violence. clash with Khan. Five-division world “I am here to meet potential champions champion Mayweather beat Manny and I am not afraid of anything, we will... Pacquiao of the Philippines in May of this beat terror and produce boxers of top qual- year in what was described as the “fight of ity,” he said. the century”. —AFP Rafael Nadal celebrates in this file photo. Federer and Nadal at US Open crossroads NEW YORK: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Spaniard, the 2010 and 2013 champion in New to Andy Murray in the Montreal Masters final and with 31 major titles between them, head for the York, has endured a tough year, the knee joints then against Federer in Cincinnati. US Open with their Grand Slam careers at the and wrists looking stiffer and weaker. He has also been troubled by an elbow injury. crossroads. After being deposed as French Open champi- “I played a couple good matches and couple not- Despite turning 34, Federer was an impressive on-his quarter-final loss to Djokovic was only his so-good matches,” said Djokovic, whose winner of a seventh Cincinnati Masters title last second ever defeat in Paris-Nadal slumped to 10 rolleroaster career at the majors has also seen Amir Khan weekend, seeing off world number one-and US in the world, his lowest ranking for a decade. He him lose eight finals. “The conditions in New York Open favourite-Novak Djokovic in the final. has recovered to eight, but he is no longer the suit me a little bit better, so I look forward to it.” It was the Swiss star’s 87th tour title and player that once struck terror into rivals. Murray, the world number three, won in New Wilson tributes flow revenge for losing a second successive Wimbledon Nadal has lost 14 times already this year com- York in 2012, ending Britain’s 76-year wait for a final to the Serb last month. But Federer has stum- pared to 11 in the whole of 2014, seven in 2013 Grand Slam men’s singles champion. bled badly in New York in recent years. and just six in 2012. He sat out the 2012 and 2014 He has made at least the quarter-finals in New among calls for safety A five-time champion from 2004-2008, he was US Opens because of injury. York in the last four years. The 28-year-old could runner-up to Juan Martin del Potro in 2009 but At Wimbledon, he was knocked out in the sec- set a record for the largest payout in tennis histo- PENNSYLVANIA: Tributes continued to exposed,” said the 34-year-old Texan. hasn’t been back to the final since.His record at ond round by Germany’s Dustin Brown while his ry at the US Open — $4.3 million. pour in on Tuesday following the death of “Maybe in the future we can work toward the Grand Slams in 2015 has also been mixed. North American hardcourt season ended in a That would be $3.3 million for winning the British IndyCar driver Justin Wilson the something that resembles a canopy ..