Serena Williams: I Don’t Have Anything To Prove, It’s Paris, It’s cool, I’m Having The Time Of My Life

Ahead of her third attempt to catch Steffi Graf and reach the 22 Grand Slam mark, Serena Williams is low key in her title defense. The 34-year-old ended a 9-month title drought winning Rome last week, so that certainly helped in making her feel that much better as she begins her title defense.

“Five, ten years ago I was defending and feeling that pressure,” Serena said. “Now I don’t have anything to prove. I’m defending, it’s Paris, it’s cool. I’m having the time of my life.”

But her 2015 title was was anything but cool. In fact, she had to win five 3-set matches to capture the title, her 3rd French Open.

“I still don’t know how I got through that,” Serena recalled. “Of all titles, it was crazy that I was able to win this one last year. This time I’m taking Vitamin C every night. If it happened again, I’m not sure I could get through that again. It’s just so cold here. I put my hoodie up after practice today because my ears were cold.”

Serena begins play Monday or Tuesday against Magdelena Rybarikova. She’s never been able to defend the French Open, something few have been able to do. The last to do it was Justine Henin in 2007.