Serena Williams works out a plan to keep fit for the 2012 games

James Olley
6 Jul 2009

Serena Williams has vowed to get even fitter to ensure she can extend her career beyond the London Olympics in 2012.

The 27-year-old won her 11th grand slam title at Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon with a 7-6, 6-2 victory over her sister Venus on Centre Court.
Both players looked awesome on their march to the final as they dominated yet another major tournament.

The pair have won 18 grand slam titles between them as they continue to rule in the biggest events on the WTA Tour despite not holding the top positions in the rankings.

And with a group of young players including Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, threatening to shake up the established order, Williams believes she will have to work harder off the court to maintain her stranglehold until Wimbledon hosts the Olympic tennis event in three years.

“I want to play in 2012 and I am definitely working to get fitter so I can last longer and be out there for as long as I want to,” she said.

“I don't want to retire because I am not fit or because I can't physically do it any more. I feel really young and I think it helps that I haven't played every week on the Tour. That has elongated my career.

“I never worked out when I was younger. I just showed up at tournaments and maybe because I was young I could do that or maybe times have changed because even the young kids are working out now.

“There are a lot of players, mostly from Eastern Europe, who are doing well and have a solid game.

“There are people who challenge Venus and I but I feel if I play my best, its going to be really difficult for anyone to beat me.

“Not many people can always play their best and my challenge now is to be more consistent at a higher level.”

Venus Williams admitted that victory with sister Serena in the women's doubles was at least some consolation for defeat against her sibling in the singles.

The Williams girls, the fourth seeds, beat Australian third seeds Rennae Stubbs and Samantha Stosur 7-6, 6-4 to claim their fourth doubles title at the All England Club.

Venus said: “I wanted my name on a trophy and one out of two isn't bad. Doubles is huge for us because it is a grand slam and at the end of the day, when your name is by a grand slam, that number adds up.”