• WTA

Shocked Williams is world No. 1 again

ESPN staff
February 15, 2013

On Monday Serena Williams will become the oldest world No. 1 in the female game since the introduction of computer rankings in 1975.

Williams, 31, will take the accolade off American Chris Evert who last held the No. 1 slot in November 1985 at the age of 30.

Williams last held the world's top ranking in June 2010 and ensured that she will re-take the crown off Victoria Azarenka by beating Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.

Going into the match with Kvitova, Williams had won 58 of her last 61 matches but struggled against the Czech player, who is a former Wimbledon champion from 2011.

Ultimately Williams' power told and she won 3-6 6-3 7-5, although the American herself was not sure how she came through the two-hour-and-seven-minute character test.

"I don't know how I did it - I really don't know," Williams said. "I just hung in there and she was playing so well. Every time I looked around she was hitting a winner. I just tried to stay in there."

On re-taking the No. 1 slot again Williams was understandably emotional. The two and three quarter years since June 2010 have seen her come back from blood clots on her lungs and subsequent fears for her life.

She said: "I'm so sensitive nowadays, I'm always crying! I never thought I would be here again. I've just been through so much and never thought I'd be here again.

"Thank you Jehovah for giving me another chance."

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