Serena Williams tells Russia’s Sport-Express that she does not think the newer generation of players is lacking tactical diversity.
"I do not listen to critics," she said. "In addition, no one can deny that No. 1 Victoria Azarenka now plays great. At the same time, Vika is still very young girl. So you do not always have to listen to what they say, and you should look for the positive."
The 30-year-old Williams also said that she does not miss any of her former rivals, plans to play for many more years, and that she was famous by the time she was in middle school.
"Even when I was little, I was known in the neighborhood. Venus had already been written about in the newspapers. So even in my childhood I was known. I also remember how in 1999 the U.S. team played Fed Cup against Italy [away]. The team also had Venus and Monica Seles. So, wherever we appeared—in a bar, restaurant or on the tennis court—the locals just went crazy, just seeing us. And I thought, Serena, you’re in Italy, and you are really known."
Serena also said that as far as she knew, her longtime touring coach and hitting partner, Sasha Bazhin, did not entertain serious thoughts about coaching Jelena Jankovic when she was out for nearly a year (from the summer of 2010 to 2011) due to injury and illness.
"I heard about Jankovic's interest, but it seems to me that he was not interested to go somewhere. He knew that I would return, and never gave a hint about what is going to work with someone else. It is unlikely that Sasha would find someone better than me," Serena said with a laugh.