New York: Like a high roller on an endless winning streak, Serena Williams believes she just cannot lose.
Williams was not making any bold statements about her chances of winning the US Open, starting on Monday, but with 16 grand slams titles already under her belt, but says she feels she is playing with the house`s money.
"I don`t need to do anything," she told a news conference at the annual media day on Saturday.
"That`s the beauty of my career. I don`t need to do anything at all. Everything I do from this day forward is a bonus."
Despite knowing her place in the pantheon of tennis greats is already assured, Williams is not resting on her laurels just yet.
The world number one already has her sights set on more grand slams, including this year`s US Open, where she is the overwhelming favourite to successfully defend the title she won last year.
"My motivation just comes from different place and different areas," she said.
"I love to play tennis and I love winning and I think that keeps me motivated. I want to keep it up and I want to keep improving and try to keep winning."
Williams has always had an unwavering belief in her ability to perform at the biggest events since she won her first US Open in 1999 when she was just 17 years old.
"When the tournament started, I told myself I was going to win and I felt it. I have these weird feelings all the time," she said.
"I wasn`t really surprised. I mean, I was happy and elated, but I just had this instinct that I was going to win this title."
That win was the start of her domination of the women`s game. Last year, she won her fourth U.S. Open, aged 30 and has shown no signs of slowing down. In June, she won the French Open, which has traditionally been her toughest major, for a second time.
If the American wins again at Flushing Meadows, she will become the oldest female champion in New York since tennis turned professional in 1968.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.