Wimbledon Tennis 2012 Semifinals: Serena Williams Comeback Deeper Than Tennis

Victoria Azarenka was nothing compared to what Serena Williams previously defeated.

In the 2012 Wimbledon semifinals, Williams beat Azarenka 6-3, 7-6 (6) to earn a berth in the Final. For Serena, her past is what makes the present special—not the five grand slam triumphs in London, but the obstacles that she hurdled to return to the city.

At 30 years old, Williams continues to compete despite a decline in physical ability. But far more impressive than her ability to hold off Father Time, just last year, Serena overpowered the Grim Reaper.

Christopher Clary of the New York Times reported that her father Richard Williams couldn’t care less if Williams loses to Agnieszka Radwanska. Why? Because her match is deeper than tennis as he explained:

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I think she’ll win on Saturday, but to me it won’t make a difference if she wins or loses. I’m just so happy she’s alive, because there was a time I thought my daughter was going to die.

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While the focus of Serena’s physical setbacks were on her foot after a second surgery last year, an internal ailment formed a far greater threat. Mr. Williams explained that his daughter had a pair of blood clots in her heart. He continued saying (via New York Times):

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I’m happy that she’s winning, but the main thing for me right now is I’m just happy she’s alive, and I think I’ll feel that way the rest of my life about her because she was so close to dying that it was unbelievable, and I really believe there was a time when Serena felt she would die, too. I mean it was too close, too scary, too frightening…She’s blessed by Jehovah just to be walking now.

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What Williams has accomplished in this season’s Wimbledon is already a cause for celebration. If she takes care of business in the Final, though, a Hollywood director should start filming her miraculous comeback story.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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