Double Fault! Bodo a Dodo when it Comes to Serena Williams’ Near Future

I'm perusing the tennis section over at ESPN on Saturday when I come across a strange column by veteran yellow ball writer, Peter Bodo strongly suggesting that the future grand slam hopes of 13-time grand slam winner Serena Williams are pretty much over and done with at this point of her long and illustrious career.

Why Bodo would write such nonsense is beyond me, particularly seeing how well Williams performed last season after an 11-month hiatus, but it makes me believe that Bodo is a complete dodo - and a Williams 'hater' on the surface

First, there was this nugget of Bodo musings.

"Should Williams no longer be able to step in and blast her way to any title she wants (and let's face it, she is 30 and carrying significant weight), her rivals and the next wave of players will have a greater chance to assert themselves on a regular, credible basis."

First and foremost, maybe Bodo wasn't paying attention, but when Williams returned to the WTA Tour last season, she had lost significant weight and looked more like the 2001version of herself than the heavier one we saw in 2008 and 2009, so Bodo is way off base with his assessment of Williams' weight.

Second, Bodo should know that both Williams sisters are not your typical 30-year-old female tennis players and are likely going to be in much better condition late in their careers than some other players, like Elena Dementieva, the fantastic Russian player who retired last season - at the ripe old age of 29.

One of the absolutely ingenious things that Richard Williams did with his daughters - and a practice they carry on to this day - is the fact that both Williams sisters play a selective schedule, thereby limiting their chances for burnout or bringing their careers to a premature end.

Bodo also wrote of the American superstar's chances for next year's 2012 WTA season, "I think she'll contend, but I think she'll have a hard time winning those majors unless she really dedicates herself and plays a lot. The combination of her age and her recent, growing tendency to get injured is a candle burning at both ends."

Now, maybe it's me, but I certainly don't consider stepping on glass at a restaurant so badly that it resulted in a significant foot surgery - or dealing with an ensuing pulmonary embolism, (blood clots in both her lungs) and a hematoma that required emergency treatment - injuries. On the surface, Bodo the Dodo's comments look way off base and a massively 'haterish' to me.

Then again, American writers have been trashing the Williams sisters and their dad Richard for years, so I just take it as par for the course for the legendary tennis-playing family. Of course, you're always going to have your 'haters' when you're, not only as good as the Williams sisters are, but Serena gets a bit extra because of her outspokenness and 'tell-it-like-it-is' personality.

Oh well, clearly, some people can't handle the truth even when it's staring them right in the face!