Power Take: Serena Williams, Djokovic primed for more greatness

American 34-year-old Williams’s latest spell on top of the pile started in February 2013. Here are five things that have changed or are could be changing at this year’s U.S. Open, which begins Monday. Running into form are Briton Johanna Konta, victor in Stanford and quarter-finalist in Montreal and Rio, and Karolina Pliskova, who supplemented a strong grass season with the semis in Indian Wells and the title in Cincinnati last week.

“I love the question (of the number one ranking)”.

But that hasn t dented his confidence that he can claim a second US Open, four years after his breakthrough in NY saw him become the first British man in 76 years to win a Grand Slam title.

Instead, she got so distracted by the “ifs”, “whats” and “maybes” that she was defeated in straight sets and was eliminated.

“I had to win one set and I was completely too much pressure on myself. At the end of the day, I knew I gave the best effort I could, and it just wasn’t enough”. Best choice for punters who don’t mind taking chances for the sake of better odds is Aga Radwanska.

This summer, Williams has suffered woes very similar to those of her male counterpart, Novak Djokovic. When the American first made number one back in 2002, Muguruza was just eight.

“She’s right there. I’ve always been impressed with her work ethic”, said McEnroe, who previously helped McHale while leading the USTA player developmental program.

“There are a couple of players that if they do really well and whatever the situations are, they can reach No. 1”.

“So that creates a little bit of juicy comments”. She has a strong Polish background on both sides of her family and three years ago moved across the border from Kiel, where she grew up, to Puszczykowo, a town near Poznan.

Jelena Jankovic (18 weeks in total in 2008 and 2009), Dinara Safina (26 weeks in two 2009 spells) and Caroline Wozniacki (two periods stretching over 2010/11 and 2011/12 totalled 67 weeks).

Muguruza has never gone beyond the second round in three visits to NY but as a Grand Slam champion, she knows she has the ability to go far. But she has a pretty tough draw, scheduled to meet Sara Errani in round three, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in round four, and this year’s French Open champion and world No. 3 Gabine Muguruza in the semis. Angelique Kerber could be the player whose chances burn brightest in NY.

Is Murray playing the best tennis of his career?

“I think usually I prefer to play more coming into the final Grand Slam of the year”, Williams acknowledged.

Djokovic may yet prove his doubters wrong but with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal also struggling with injury, it appears Murray’s time may finally have arrived.

“I’m just thinking what I have to do to winning my rounds and my matches and hopefully get to the last match and win it”.

Since exiting Wimbledon in the third round, Stephens lost three consecutive first rounds at Washington, Montreal and the Olympics.

At 29, three-time major victor Murray admits he is taking positives from being in the twilight of his career.

Fresh from doubling the number of Wimbledon and Olympic titles in his trophy cabinet, Andy Murray is in the form of a lifetime.

The only worry for Murray is his relatively mediocre recent record in NY – runs to the quarterfinals in 2013 and 2014 were followed by a fourth-round exit to Kevin Anderson 12 months ago.

Murray, in the opposite half of the draw to the 12-time grand slam victor, does not face Lukas Rosol until Tuesday and the Scot has downplayed the effect his rival’s injury could have on his own chances. The last time they met in Munich in 2015, the Scot described the Czech as the most-hated man in the sport.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion has not missed one of the four major tournaments since 1999.