Venus Williams sees a big future for her Australian Open conqueror – just as she does for her own tennis career.
Williams anointed fellow American, teenager Madison Keys, as a possible future No.1, saying the sky’s the limit after her quarter-final victory.
Not that Williams will be stepping aside to help lay a path to the top of the rankings for her.
The 34-year-old is still intent on challenging the best in the game and is set to storm from 18 to just outside the top 10 on the back of her final-eight result.
It continued a remarkable comeback from injury and a battle with the energy-sapping Sjogren’s syndrome, which was diagnosed in 2011.
“I feel like I have that potential,” Williams said.
“When you step out time and time again and you can’t reach that, it’s definitely challenging.
“But it’s definitely been a great four weeks.
“I think a lot of players would have been happy with this tournament. I’m happy with progress. I’m not happy with a loss, I’ll tell you that.”
Williams rolled back the years at Melbourne Park as she reached the quarter-finals of a grand slam for first time in five years.
She became the oldest player to reach the Australian Open final eight since her idol Billy Jean King in 1982 and the oldest at any slam since Chris Evert in 1989.
The loss took her 2015 record to 9-1, including winning the Auckland Classic lead-up event, but she sounded post-match like it had taken its toll.
“It already feels like a long season already, so many matches in a row,” Williams said.
“But it’s a great start and hopefully, you know, I’ll be able to keep this level up.”
Her younger sister Serena, who beat Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova to move into the semi-finals, was proud of her start to the year.
“Venus has played really, really, really well,” Serena said.
“She won a tournament, got to the quarter-finals here, and lost in a very tough three-set battle to a young gun.
“A lot of confidence is building for her, as well – to know she can go so far, win so many matches in a row, and do so well in a slam.”
