Savouring one of her sweetest triumphs, Serena Williams is placing no limits on what she may accomplish next after becoming the most successful player in professional tennis history.
Williams elevated herself to “Jordan status” after upstaging sister Venus to win an unprecedented seventh Australian Open crown and record 23rd grand slam title at Melbourne Park.
The 35-year-old’s emotional triumph nudged her ahead of German great Steffi Graf and within touching distance of Australian Margaret Court’s all-time record 24 singles slams.
“It’s such a great feeling to have 23. It really feels great. I’ve been chasing it for a really long time,” the American said.
“When it got on my radar, I knew I had an opportunity to get there, and I’m here. I’m here.
“I finally made it to Jordan status at 23. Honestly, it’s crazy.”
At 35, Williams is also the oldest women’s major winner in the 49-year open era.
Yet the living legend believes she’s playing “better than I think ever” and has no plans on slowing down.
“I’m enjoying my time on the court. I’m enjoying my game. I’m enjoying the style that I’m playing,” Williams said after also returning to world No.1.
“So it’s been kind of refreshing and I definitely want to keep the momentum going.
“But I have nothing to prove so I can relax and that’s what I’m doing.”
Surpassing the symbolic number worn by basketball great Michael Jordan and the amount of Olympic gold medals swimming superstar Michael Phelps has accrued seems inevitable.
And Williams says she owes it all to her family, crediting her father and coach Richard’s “vision” and Venus’ “inspiration” for helping her join the conversation as arguably tennis’s greatest player of all time.
Greater even than modern-day men’s champions Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
“I definitely think so. I mean, between Martina (Navratilova), myself, Steffi Graf, hands down we are leading that conversation,” Williams said.
The superstar siblings were clashing for the ninth time in a grand slam final – but first since 2009 – and this was Serena’s seventh success in the matches that mattered most.
Venus, though, could not have been more gracious in defeat, despite being denied her own watershed win four months shy of her 37th birthday.
“Serena Williams, that’s my little sister guys. Congratulations Serena on No.23. I have been right there with you, some of them I lost right there against you,” she said.
“Yes, that is weird but it is true. But it has been an awesome thing, your win has always been my win, I think that you know that.
“Those times that I couldn’t be there, didn’t get there, you were there.
“I am enormously proud of you. You mean the world to me.”
After losing last year’s final to Angelique Kerber, and then the French Open decider to Garbine Muguruza, Williams now holds two of the four grand slam trophies – Wimbledon and the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for her emphatic victory on Saturday night.
All up, sport’s most successful sisters ever have reeled in 30 grand slam singles crowns between, 14 doubles titles – all won together – plus four mixed championships and eight Olympic gold medals.
“We don’t want to stop,” Serena said ominously. “We want to continue to do better.”