Former world No.1 Serena Williams believes the use of electronic line calling at upcoming tournaments will be a ‘huge benefit’ to the sport.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion is set to return to competitive tennis at the start of next week in Lexington which will host the inaugural Top Seed Open. The first American tournament to take place in the lead-up to the US Open. It will be Williams’ first taste of competitive tennis since competing in the Fed Cup back in February.
Williams is hoping that she will be able to regain momentum ahead of New York, where she will once again be bidding to level Margaret Court’s Grand Slam record. Although this year’s US Open will be like no other. Fans are prohibited from attending due to the COVID-19 pandemic, players will be kept in what is being described as a ‘bubble’ and for the first time electronic line calling will be introduced. Replacing the traditional use of line judges in order to minimise the number of people on the court.
“I think a lot of that will be a huge benefit. I think anything electronic takes away human error which is natural,” Williams commented during a virtual press conference on Saturday.
“The combination of the tours could be exciting for both sides to create one big major best league ever,” she added.
Set to turn 39 next month, Williams believes the five-month break in tennis due to the pandemic has a silver lining for her. The WTA Tour was suspended at the start of March and didn’t restart until this week’s Palermo Open in Italy. Now her rest is over, the American is rearing to go.
“I definitely feel that there is a level of excitement. Just coming out and trying to see what it’s like,” she stated.
“It (the break) was a necessary evil for my body so my body feels rejuvenated and good.”
Creating her own self-described ‘Serena bubble’ due to COVID-19, Williams faced obstacles in the process. The biggest issue for her was the fact her physios are based in Europe and she had to find alternatives in order to maintain her fitness during lockdown.
Sticking to her own bubble, Williams stopped going to the gyms and instead opted to create her very own state-of-the art facility. As well as a tennis court which has been built with the same surface used at the US Open. A decision she wished she had made earlier in her career.
“We built a tennis court and we built a gym. It’s so cool,” Williams commented. “The gym’s not quite done. The tennis court is so fun. I go there and it’s my own sanctuary. I’m like, ‘why haven’t I done this 20 years ago?’ We had a few players out there. I’m like, ‘this is the US Open surface, so come hit with me. I tried to get people to come.”
Like New York, the Top Seed Open will take place behind closed doors. Many have wondered how a lack of fans will affect the games of top players such as Williams who openly admits she is unsure on what impact it may have on her.
“That is a good question people keep asking me and I still don’t know the answer to that,” she commented.
“I love playing with the crowd and then sometimes I love the silence. Every single practice is without a crowd.”
Williams is currently ranked ninth in the world and will be the top seed in Lexington. She will be bidding to win her first title on American soil since the 2015 Cincinnati Open.
