Williams desperate for 18th grand slam

Self-proclaimed “super trendy” Serena Williams is intent on adding more substance to her signature style with a drought-breaking sixth US Open crown at Flushing Meadows.

Champion the past two years, Williams is a warm favourite to complete a hat-trick at her home major but knows there’s no certainties in sport after failing to land a grand slam title yet in 2014.

For a year now the world No.1 has been stranded one trophy shy of the 18 slams that fellow American all-time greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert each accrued.

Little wonder why Williams is both flattered and cautious to hear predictions she’ll wind up with 22 or 23 by the time she calls it quits.

“That would be just really amazing if I can make it that far,” Williams said on Saturday.

“Competition is a little stiff now, so I have to do the best that I can. I can’t even think that far, to be honest.

“Yeah, Australian (Open), Wimbledon and French (Open) also could have been 18; (it) didn’t quite happen.”

Williams failed to venture beyond the fourth round in Melbourne, Paris or London as Li Na, Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova took the spoils.

But with the back pain that undermined her Australian Open campaign and the virus that floored the top seed at Wimbledon behind her, Williams is confident injury or illness won’t stop her in New York.

The 32-year-old collected her two of her five titles this season in the Open lead-up and appears back to her dominant best.

Williams says anything less than lifting the trophy in a fortnight’s time would complete an unsuccessful season by her own lofty standards.

“My expectations are always really high. I always expect the best from myself,” she said.

“Those matches were good for me because I haven’t played a lot of matches this year.

“So technically I should be perfectly fine.”

In a style sense, the tennis diva is also at the top of her game, preparing to launch “Aneras” for Serena’s Signature Statement.

“(It) has always been a dream of mine to have a fashion show New York fashion week,” Williams said.

“I would say my style in general is super trendy.”

With the injured Li absent from the Open, new world No.2 Simona Halep is trending as Williams’ greatest title threat after reaching her maiden grand slam final at Roland Garros en route to her career-high ranking.

The 22-year-old says she’s taken a liking to the faster hard courts at Flushing Meadows too.

“The court here I like very much because it’s like my style,” Halep said.

“I play very fast, I like to take the balls very early and to stay very close to the baseline.

“I’m pretty confident in myself that I can play good tennis.”

Third seed Kvitova wound up her preparations in ominous fashion on Saturday with victory in the Connecticut Open final and also looms as a major danger.

“I needed some matches before the US Open so I’m very proud of getting through like that,” Kvitova said.

“Hopefully I can show that at the US Open.”

Sharapova is seeded fifth in her quest to snare two slams in a single season for the first time.

The Russian is seeded to meet Williams in the semi-finals and may need to topple the world No.1 for the first time just to make the title match.

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