The Hindu : Sport : Davenport is Serena’s role model

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Davenport is Serena’s role model

MELBOURNE: New mom Lindsay Davenport is Serena Williams’ “ultimate” role model.

Former No. 1 Davenport, the 2000 Australian Open champion, won in Auckland, New Zealand last week for her third title in four events since giving birth last June to her first child, son Jagger.

This year’s defending champion is impressed.

“I’m speechless because she looks better than me and she’s seven months out of having a baby.” Williams said on Saturday.

“I’m convinced if I had a baby, seven months later I’d probably still be in the hospital trying to get over the pain,” she added, laughing.

“She is my ultimate role model. I’m really so motivated ... she’s just taken it to a new level.”

New courts

Rafael Nadal doesn’t notice much difference: the new Plexicushion surface at Melbourne Park that is supposed to reduce injuries and be less hot on the feet has elicited a variety of responses.

The new blue surface replaces the green-coloured Rebound Ace that had been a feature of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park since moving from grass at Kooyong 20 years ago.

“I don’t see much difference, in my opinion,” said Nadal.

Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic said she felt the new surface would be slower but cause fewer injuries.

“I find it quite slow but it’s very good for the body. It’s quite soft,” Ivanovic said, also saying the ball bounces higher.

Nadal ready

Perennial No 2. is as ready as he’ll ever be to begin chasing down perennial No. 1 Roger Federer in the first Grand Slam of the year. Rafael Nadal had a short but strenuous offseason of training, which was a good thing considering his first tournament in Chennai. Nadal and his Spanish countryman Carlos Moya were on court for 3 hours, 54 minutes in an epic semifinal — the longest three-set match on the ATP Tour in 15 years.

Nadal won it, but was wasted physically by the encounter and lost the final to Mikhail Youzhny 6-0, 6-1 in less than an hour.

“I had less than 24 hours to recover,” Nadal said on Saturday of the turnaround in Chennai. “I went to sleep late and I finished the match late. It was tough.”

Nadal spent a month at his home base of Mallorca hitting a lot of balls. The schedule was “8.30 to 9.30 physical performance (gym), 9.30 to 1 tennis, 3 to 5 tennis, 6 to 7:15 physical, and after I sleep,” Nadal said. — AP

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