Serena Williams and Roger Federer are perhaps the two most famous tennis players of all time. They were synonymous with the sport throughout the 2000s, and are two of the biggest brands as athletes in the world. They had phases of domination throughout their careers, and finished their tennis story as two of the finest players of all time. (Wimbledon 2023 Live Updates Day 5)
Both Federer and Williams retired in 2022, having entered their 40s and winning all there was to win. As competitors, they have faced off in exhibition events, but only once in a competitive environment. The legends found themselves on opposite sides of the net in a mixed doubles match during the international team competition, the Hopman Cup, in Perth in 2019.
Up-and-coming American star Frances Tiafoe recounted a hilarious but telling story from that match in 2019. In the Ultimate Tennis Showdown Talk Show, Tiafoe spoke to his countrymen Christopher Eubanks and Ben Shelton about Serena’s impact on tennis, especially in the USA.
“Best Serena story I got, I’m playing mixed with her, we’re playing Fed and [Belinda] Bencic,” said Tiafoe. “Fed is acing her left, right, and center. She gets aced again. We go sit down. She goes ‘Ugh! I don’t get it. I can’t lose this. He’s not better than me. I got 23 Slams, he got 20!”
Tiafoe is close friends with Serena, who is also like a mentor for the younger American. Tiafoe recently entered the top 10 rankings for the first time after lifting the trophy in Stuttgart.
Both Eubanks and Shelton had surprised reactions to the mentality shown by Serena in that moment, even in an event that is largely used as a warmup to the Australian Open. “No way! You’re making this up!” said Eubanks, who lifted his first career title at the Mallorca Open right before Wimbledon.
Shelton, who at 20 years old is one of the most exciting prospects in American tennis, was similarly shocked. “This is crazy to me!” Shelton has massive power on his serves and groundstrokes, and reached the quarterfinal at the Australian Open, in only his second grand slam tournament.
“Hand to god, that’s when I thought, I get it now. That’s when I was like, you’ve got to be different. This wasn’t a joke!” concluded Tiafoe, who was a semifinalist at the US Open in 2022.
Williams finished her professional tennis career with 23 grand slam titles, the most in the open era by any woman. Her last slam appearance was also in New York in 2022. Even at 40, she beat world number 3 Anett Kontaveit, before bowing out in the third round. She now enters the next stage of her life, currently expecting a second child with her husband Alex Ohanian.
Frances Tiafoe carries American hopes in the men’s draw at Wimbledon, as the tenth seed prepares to face former semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov. Shelton was knocked out by Laszlo Djere, and Eubanks prepares to play British number one Cameron Norrie.
