, Columnist
Serena Williams Is Not the Best Tennis Player
In sports, "best" is determined by defeating other contenders.
She's good. Very good.
Photographer: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Who’s the best tennis player in the world? I couldn’t say. However, I’m pretty sure of one thing: It’s not Serena Williams.
John McEnroe has gotten himself in big trouble for saying pretty much exactly the same thing. In an interview with NPR, McEnroe was asked why he called Williams the best female tennis player, rather than simply the best tennis player. McEnroe seemed confused by the question, and finally replied “Well because if she was in, if she played the men's circuit she'd be like 700 in the world.”