After record-breaking win, Serena reminds us that gender shouldn't be confused with greatness

NEW YORK—She refused to crack a smile, just like she did during her obligatory pre-match interview and throughout her 59-minute display of excellence inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. When it was over, and applause cascaded down from on high, she tried, with difficulty, to retain her stoicism. She was statuesque, appropriate for someone who will have one of her likenesses erected someday, perhaps at this very venue.

It was Serena Williams’ most difficult challenge on Saturday following her 6-2, 6-1 third-round victory over Johanna Larsson—maintaining the steely demeanor that has taken her to the winner’s circle 307 times at Grand Slam tournaments. That’s one more major triumph than Martina Navratilova, and the same total amassed by Roger Federer. But Williams, now unable to negate her emotion after Rennae Stubbs announced this great sports fact to the afternoon crowd, didn’t want gender to become confused with greatness.

“I’d like to thank Nike and everyone for recognizing that female athletes can be great, too,” said Williams, who was called the “greatest athlete ever” by her clothing company in an advertisement before the tournament:

Williams was not boastful about the declaration; she was thankful for the acknowledgement. She owns 22 Grand Slam singles championships, but can appear as vulnerable as if she’s never won a single match. She calls attention to herself both on and off the court—her “Wonder Woman” sleeves are the fashion statement of Flushing Meadows—but always defers to her opponent. After losing this year’s Australian and French Open finals to first-time Grand Slam champions, she looked as happy as if she’d won it herself. On Saturday, in her pre-match interview, she cited Larsson’s “tricky game” and walked toward the court with the seriousness of a courtroom cross-examination. When she’d secured passage to the fourth round with her third love service hold of the second set, she sheepishly called her performance “pretty good.”

It is hard for us, or Williams herself, to come up with the proper words to describe what she has done, and what she will continue to do. Navratilova called Williams’ latest achievement “amazing,” which might be just the right term to sum up longevity and dominance, two seemingly mutually exclusive attributes in athletics.

It took a while to see the joy inside Williams on this day, to see that signature smile, and she’ll reset herself in preparation for her fourth-round opponent, Yaroslava Shvedova. But once we did, the expression was a permanent fixture on her face. Just like on a statue.