セレーナはアリ氏らに並ぶ象徴的存在、レジェンドが称賛

【ニューヨークＡＦＰ＝時事】米テニス界の元スター選手、ジョン・マッケンロー氏とクリス・エバート氏が２４日、セレーナ・ウィリアムスはモハメド・アリ氏らスポーツ界で最も偉大なレジェンドと肩を並べる存在だとコメントした。（写真は、女子テニスのセレーナ・ウィリアムス）
　２９日に開幕する全米オープンで米スポーツ専門チャンネルＥＳＰＮの解説を務める両氏は、この大会を最後に引退するものとみられている四大大会（グランドスラム）通算２３勝のセレーナを称賛した。
　エバート氏は「その影響力や、競技に革命を起こしたという事実、そして女の子や女性のみならず世界中の人たちに刺激を与えてきた点から、私は彼女を最も偉大なレジェンドの中に並べたい」とセレーナをたたえた。
　「それほどのスターだ。彼女はスーパースター。私にとって最も印象的だったのはコート外での影響力で、彼女は若い女性に自分たち自身で力を持ち、胸の内を話し、恐れを知らなくなるように感化した」
　またマッケンロー氏は、セレーナを「ＧＯＡＴ（ｇｒｅａｔｅｓｔ　ｏｆ　ａｌｌ　ｔｉｍｅ、史上最高）」と評した。
　「セレーナについて言わなければならないのは、彼女がＧＯＡＴの殿堂に入ったということ。ビリー・ジーン・キング、モハメド・アリ、マイケル・ジョーダン、トム・ブレイディ。彼女がいるのはそういう場所だ。象徴中の象徴のような存在となった。彼女にとっては当然ではなく、まだ先のことだったかもしれないが、すでにそうなっている」
　エバート氏はまた「彼女はコートを離れても人の心を大きく動かしてきた」と話し、「コート上での彼女の記録、パワー、メンタルの強さは言うまでもない。だが彼女の中にある恐怖心のなさといった形ないものが私に強い印象を与えた」と続けた。
　「彼女はテニスでも人生でも限界を決めない。そんなメッセージをみんなに伝えるのは、とても大きな力になると思う」
　さらにセレーナがテニス、そして物事の見方を変えたというエバート氏は、「彼女はテニスに革命を起こした。試合におけるパワーに革命を起こした。そして彼女は有色人種の女性を強く鼓舞したと思う。試合に臨む多くの有色人女性を見かけるようになった」と話した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/08/25-17:18）

Serena Williams ranks alongside such icons as Muhammad Ali among the greatest legends in sport, retired US tennis stars John McEnroe and Chris Evert said on Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of their ESPN commentary duties for the US Open that begins on Monday, Evert hailed 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who is likely to retire after this year's Grand Slam showdown in New York.
I would put her up there as far as the influence, the fact how she revolutionized the game and also how she's influenced girls and women and people throughout the world, Evert said.
That's how big of a star. She's a superstar. What impresses me the most is just off-court influence and how she's influenced young women to own their power, to speak their mind, to be fearless.
McEnroe gave Serena the GOAT label -- as in Greatest of All Time.
All you need to say about Serena is that she's put herself in that pantheon of GOATs -- Billie Jean King. Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady. That's where Serena is.
She has become like an icon of icons. It probably happened later than it deserved to for her, but it's here now.
McEnroe said Williams changed the game with her power and devastating serve, comparing her to NBA 3-point sharpshooter Stephen Curry.
Serena took it to that next level because she had the greatest serve ever, better than a lot of guys, McEnroe said. I would compare her in a way, the way she changed it, to Steph Curry. Everyone is shooting 3-pointers, but no one does it as well as him.
Evert spoke of Williams as an inspiration to others.
She has been very inspirational off the court, Evert said. On the court, it's obvious, her record, her power, her mental toughness. But the intangibles, the fearlessness in her, has really impressed me.
She has never set any limits in tennis or in life. To get that message across to everybody, I think, is very powerful. And she really has spoken her mind... and she has so many platforms, from the body shaming, to working moms, to women of color, and just empowering women.
That message, off the court, to me and maybe to millions of people, is more profound and more powerful than even what she's done on the court.
- Inspirational, powerful -
Serena changed tennis and attitudes, Evert said.
She revolutionized tennis. She revolutionized the power in the game, Evert said. And I feel like she really inspired women of color, because we've seen a lot more women of color playing the game.
When it came to this year's US Open, Evert warned don't underestimate her but admitted, it's going to be tough for her to get to that second week while McEnroe said, anything could happen. It's so wide open.
When it came to retirement, McEnroe saw Serena closer to tennis than Evert, who cited Williams having said she wants to have another child.
I think that she'll be more of an ambassador, McEnroe said. She sounds like she's got a ton of interests and I'm sure that some of those are going to have to do with tennis.
Added Evert: I don't envision her really around tournaments... I don't think she's going to be as visible in tennis as she is maybe outside of tennis.