Tennis: Revenge a favoured dish for the champ

By RONALD ATKIN

As someone occasionally criticised for lack of focus, Serena Williams has zeroed in on one special day at the Wimbledon championships.

And the day is not the final, and her prospects of retaining the title, but July 3. That is the day of the semifinals when, if the seedings work out, Serena plays Justine Henin-Hardenne.

It is the day she burns to take revenge for defeat by the Belgian in the French Open this month.

After that defeat, Serena, who kicks off her defence against American Jill Craybas tonight, wept in the media conference. She claimed not to have been surprised by the loss because she was playing poorly, but was heated in her avowal that "I abhor losing".

And, having been by no means the first to suffer the abuse of a Roland Garros crowd who had adopted her opponent as favourite, she promised: "It's not going to break me."

Few people would have imagined that such a solid performer with such a glittering track record was malleable, never mind fragile.

Until she arrived in London last week, the younger Williams sister had been hard at work at home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, honing mind and body, as well as serve and volley.

It was, she acknowledged, the serve which let her down against Henin-Hardenne that day, when she led 4-2 and 30-love in the decisive set. That serve has been rocketing down in the right places at practice.

As for the volley deemed vital to grass-court prospects, Serena giggled: "I have been working on my volleys, but I have been working on my volleys for years."

Most of the work was undertaken on the hard court at her home. She was hazy about the amount of time she had spent on the few grass courts available in the area, saying: "I've heard there are some close to where I live, but I haven't looked into it."

Nor does she feel that pre-Wimbledon grass events in England are much use to her preparations, because they offer a different bounce to the turf at the All England Club.

So she will be possibly laying herself open to a repeat of the accusations that she and sister Venus do not play enough or prepare in a fully professional manner for the Grand Slams. But, such is the power of their game, both Williamses have got away with that before.

As for that crowd hostility in Paris, Serena said: "You can't forget things like that, of course not." But she promised that that day and that match were now behind her.

She considered the French Open setback might even have been good for her.

"If I had to lose one, hopefully it would be there."

To the comment that others might at last be closing the gap on the Williams sisters, Serena offered this comment: "It is encouraging to know players are struggling and fighting and sometimes even cheating."

In Paris, she had accused Henin-Hardenne of "lying and fabricating" over a disputed service call, but of the Belgian challenge from Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, she said: "They are playing really well and I am happy for them."

Asked if she expected to be less vulnerable on grass than she had been on clay, Serena replied: "No."

Notwithstanding, she is looking forward to Wimbledon. She loves Kipling's poem If.

"I always read that when I go there and it is always inspiring".

She also finds it inspiring, she said, "when I see my name on the list of champions".

Which she hopes will be accomplished at the end of next week. Boiling point, however, is scheduled for a couple of days before that.

- INDEPENDENT