NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Imagine if they could bottle a potion called 鈥淛ust Serena.鈥�
That was Serena Williams鈥� succinct, smiling explanation for how she鈥檇 managed 鈥� at nearly 41, and match-rusty 鈥� to defeat the world鈥檚 second-ranked player and advance Wednesday to the that so far, doesn鈥檛 feel much like a farewell. she said, to roaring fans.
Clearly there鈥檚 only one Serena. But as superhuman as many found her achievement, some older fans in particular 鈥� middle-aged, or beyond 鈥� said they saw in Williams鈥� latest run a very human and relatable takeaway, too. Namely the idea that they, also, could perform better and longer than they once thought possible 鈥� through fitness, practice and grit.
鈥淚t makes me feel good about what I鈥檓 doing still at my age,鈥� said Bess Brodsky Goldstein, 63, a lifelong tennis enthusiast who was attending the Open on Thursday, the day after Williams鈥� triumph over 26-year-old Anett Kontaveit.
Goldstein pursues her passion for the sport more vigorously than most women her age. She plays several times a week and participates in an age 55-and-up USTA mixed-doubles league in New England. (She also plays competitive golf.)
Yet Goldstein, like any athlete, suffers her share of aches and injuries, like a recent knee issue that set her back a few weeks. Watching Williams, she said, shows ordinary folks that injuries 鈥� or, in Williams' case, a life-threatening childbirth experience five years ago 鈥� can be overcome. 鈥淪he gives you inspiration that you can achieve your best, even in your early 60s," said Goldstein, who also had high praise for Venus Williams, Serena鈥檚 older sister, competing this year at 42.
Evelyn David was also watching tennis at , And she, too, was thinking about the night before.
鈥淓verybody is going, 鈥榃HOA!鈥欌�� said David, who smilingly gave her age as 鈥渙lder than my 60s" and is the site director for New York Junior Tennis Learning, which works with children and teens. She cited the physicality of Williams' play, and the role of fitness in today's tennis. 鈥淭he rigorous training that athletes go through now is different," David said. "She鈥檚 going, 鈥業鈥檓 not falling over. I can get to the ball.鈥欌��
鈥淎 total inspiration,鈥� David termed Williams' performance 鈥� and she had some prominent company.
鈥淐an I put something in perspective here?鈥� former champion and ESPN commentator Chris Evert said during Wednesday's broadcast. 鈥淭his is a 40-year-old mother. It is blowing me away."
Evert retired at age 34 in 1989, well before fitness and nutrition were the prominent factors in tennis they are now. They were even less so when pioneering player Billie Jean King, now 78, was in her heyday.
鈥淔or us older ones, it gives us hope and it鈥檚 fun,鈥� King said Thursday in an interview about Williams. "Puts a pep in your step. Gives you energy.鈥� She noted how fitness on the tour has changed since the 1960s and 1970s.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have the information and we didn鈥檛 have the money,鈥� King said. 鈥淲hen people win a tournament now, they say, 鈥楾hank you to my team.鈥� They鈥檙e so lucky to have all those people. We didn鈥檛 even have a coach.鈥�
Jessica Pegula, the No. 8 seed who won on Thursday, is at 28 a half-century younger than King. She knows well the difference fitness has made.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a huge part of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淎thletes, how they take care of their bodies, sports nutrition, the science behind training and nutrition 鈥� (it) has changed so much. Back in the day, you saw a player drinking a Coke on the sideline or they had a beer after their match. Now ... health has been the No. 1 priority, whether it鈥檚 physical or mental.鈥� She said she remembered thinking Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Williams were all going to retire, but 鈥渢hey kept pushing the boundaries.鈥�
Federer, 41, hasn鈥檛 played since Wimbledon last year because of operations to his right knee, but has said he'll try to play Wimbledon next year, shortly before his 42nd birthday. And Nadal, 36, known for his intense devotion to fitness, has won two Grand Slam titles this year to raise his total to a men鈥檚-record 22. Nobody would be surprised if he won another major. In contrast, Jimmy Connors鈥� famous run to the 1991 semis of the U.S. Open when he was 39 was considered an event for the history books.
Of course, fitness is only one building block to greatness 鈥� in any sport. Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons, who like Pegula is 28, noted that even though it's inspiring to see Williams keep an athletic advantage partly through preparation, 鈥渘ot everybody is Serena and Venus Williams. Maybe there鈥檚 some genes in there that not everybody else is blessed enough to have, but it鈥檚 still cool to know that, hey, even though she is genetically gifted, there are some things that she鈥檚 done that have helped her in a tremendous way prolong her career.鈥�
Dr. Michael J. Joyner, who studies human performance at the Mayo Clinic, said Williams shares many traits with other superstar athletes (from baseball's Ted Williams to golfer Gary Player and star quarterback Tom Brady, 45 and ) who have enjoyed long careers.
鈥淲hat you see with all of these people is they stay motivated, they鈥檝e avoided catastrophic injury 鈥� or they鈥檝e been able to come back because they鈥檝e recovered,鈥� he said. Also key: they live in "the modern era of sports medicine.鈥�
The question, he asked, is can Williams perform at the same level every other day to win a whole tournament? He hopes so.
Williams fan Jamie Martin, who has worked in physical therapy since 1985 and owns a chain of clinics in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, said she's seeing many women playing vigorous, competitive sports into middle age and beyond. Some return to their sport, or take up a new one, after years of focusing on work or family.
Williams' pursuit of another U.S. Open title at 40 is a reminder that women can not only remain competitive longer, but can compete now for the joy of it, she notes.
鈥淪he鈥檚 really enjoying playing,鈥� said Martin, 59. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what鈥檚 fun to watch about it now.鈥�
Brooklyn teacher Mwezi Pugh says both Williams sisters are great examples of living life on their own terms 鈥� which includes deciding how long they want to play.
鈥淭hey are still following their own playbook,鈥� said Pugh, 51. 鈥溾�楢re you ready to retire yet, Serena?鈥� 鈥業 don鈥檛 like that word. I would rather say evolution.鈥� 鈥楢re you ready to retire, Venus?鈥� 鈥楴ot today.鈥欌��
鈥淭he older you are, the more you should be able to set up your life in the way you like, and what works best for you,鈥� Pugh said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what the sisters are doing, and they are teaching all of us a lesson.鈥�
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Associated Press writers Maryclaire Dale, Howard Fendrich and Arnie Stapleton contributed to this report.
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More AP coverage of U.S. Open tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/us-open-tennis-championships and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press
