Serena Williams still chasing true Grand Slam

WIMBLEDON, England — Even with three of the last four major titles in hand, Serena Williams is still a bit upset about the one that got away.

She beat her sister Venus for her third Wimbledon title on Saturday, making the younger Williams the reigning champion at the U.S. Open, the Australian Open and the All England Club.

However, a second French Open title and a chance at a true Grand Slam — winning all four majors in the same year — eluded her.

“I’m really disappointed because I think this is the year I could have done it. And I didn’t,” Serena said on Sunday, a day after beating Venus 7-6 (3), 6-2 on the Centre Court grass. “I honestly had the biggest chance to win all four than I’ve ever had in my career.”

Over the last five Grand Slam tournaments, Serena has an astonishing 31-2 record. Her only setbacks were a straight-set loss to Venus in last year’s Wimbledon final, and a three-set loss to eventual champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the French Open quarterfinals.

“I really just basically screwed up. But I can’t live in the past, even though I am always still thinking about my quarterfinal match that I could have won,” Serena said. “But what can I do?”

What she can still do is repeat her feat of winning all four majors in succession, like she did in 2003 when she completed her “Serena Slam” with the Australian Open title.

“My goal now is win, to keep winning until I get to the French and win the French and then I’ll just have another ‘Serena Slam,’” the 27-year-old American said.

Serena’s third Wimbledon crown — all have come with wins over Venus in the final — was her 11th major singles title overall.

What’s next? Probably more titles.

“I never thought I would be at this point where I would think about, ‘Wow, I want to win X amount,’ ” Serena said. “But for the first time in my career, well the second time, I have a number that I want to reach.

“My first number was reaching Monica Seles, I was finally able to do that,” Serena said of claiming nine Grand Slam titles to match Seles. “Now I’m looking at Billie Jean King.”

King, who was in the crowd Saturday to watch the sisters play their eighth Grand Slam final, won 12 major titles.

Just getting close to that incredible number has been a testament to Serena’s perseverance.

She had won six of her Grand Slam titles by 2003, but big wins came far less frequently after that as she began to focus on projects away from tennis. That has changed recently, and along with her success has come the enjoyment of playing.

“I’m having a lot of fun now, more fun,” Serena said. “I don’t play unless I’m really enjoying myself. I think that’s the difference with now. I’m really, every moment out there, I want to be out there.

“There’s nothing like doing something that you love so much.”

It is certainly showing in her form.

Despite staying at No. 2 in the rankings behind Dinara Safina, she has proven over the last year that she is by far the best player on the tour. Serena has a 32-7 record in 2009, and half of those losses came amid a four-match skid that started in April at the Sony Ericsson Open final in Key Biscayne, Fla.

Against Venus, who had entered the match with a 20-match winning streak on Wimbledon’s grass, Serena was the underdog — partly because of Venus’ domination of Safina in the semifinals and partly because of her own struggle to beat Elena Dementieva in the same round.

After saving a match point and reaching the final, Serena said her forehand had gone on vacation to Hawaii but that she hoped it would return for the final.

It did, but the successful use of that shot against Venus may be more attributed to the tape she wrapped around her right wrist before walking out onto court.

“I honestly think I was taping my wrist for superstitious reasons, actually,” Serena said. “I didn’t tape it at the French and I lost, so I figured I better start taping it.”