London, June 20 (DPA) Women’s holder Serena Williams has used a live London concert of her favourite band Green Day to work in some experience with high decibles as she prepares to face one of the loudest shriekers in the sport in the first round at Wimbledon.
The top seed’s opening meeting with Michelle Larcher De Brito may just duplicate the aural workout that Williams got at the Saturday night rock gig at Wembley.
‘I did a little cardio there, was jumping around a little bit,’ said Williams, who beat her sister Venus in the 2009 final. ‘It was amazing. Everyone knows I’m a massive Green Day fan. They were so close. No chance I could have missed it.’
The 17-year-old Larcher De Brito, ranked 148th, has made headlines for several years with her high-pitched noises on each and every shot – even louder than former Queen of Scream Maria Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion.
But Williams will let the noise factor just roll off her back as she bears down on the court.
‘I don’t feel pressure, I’m here to win Wimbledon like the other 128 people in the draw. That’s kind of how I look at it.
‘Whether I come out with a win or whether I don’t, it’s just an opportunity for me to be here, I’m excited to play here.’
The American is one from her nation who is really excited about the football World Cup in South Africa. Her Tuesday-Thursday playing schedule will likely allow her to watch Wednesday afternoon’s final group match with Algeria which could propel the Americans into the knockout stage.
‘What I enjoy most is the excitement, the goals, I’m really into it. I’m a huge World Cup fan. I have lived for World Cup for the past several World Cups.’
Williams said this week’s 2-2 result with Slovenia, which leaves the Americans on two draws, was a thriller for her.
‘Man, my heart skipped several beats, I’m surprised I’m here. There’s no way we shouldn’t have won that match. It was really, really upsetting,’ she said of a contest where a US goal was controversially over-ruled.
‘That was ridiculous, the other team had so many fouls going on. I thought, ‘Wow, this is crazy. Then the goal was clearly a goal.’
‘Then it didn’t count as a goal. It was totally outrageous. But I’m sure the other country didn’t think it was outrageous. I’m just looking at it at one side.’
Away from the television screen, Williams said that she should be on court when Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II makes her first tennis visit in 33 years Thursday.
‘I definitely don’t think I should take a bow, so I’ll probably curtsy. I’ve been working on my curtsy.
‘It’s a little extreme, so I’m going to have to tone it down. I have a lot of arm movement.’
And the American confessed: ‘Actually, I was practising it this morning.’
