Coach Sascha Bajin felt there was a certain aura around Serena Williams and admitted that the court looked so small when he was playing the American tennis icon in practice. For eight years, Bajin was Williams’ hitting partner.
During those eight years, Bajin had a chance to get to know Williams extremely well and see how an all-time great thinks and acts. Williams, who is considered one of the most dominant players in tennis history, had an intimidation factor attached to herself.
Over the years, there were several instances where a WTA player admitted that the goal in their mind was just not to get embarrassed by Williams.
Bajin on what makes Williams, other all-time greats different
“Yes. I do believe that certain people have some sort of energy that, you know, like when she steps in a room, you know that even if you don’t know her, you don’t know who she is, you just feel like ‘hey, that’s someone important’.
Like there’s a certain aura around her. The best tennis players in the world, they have this capability of making their own court looks so small, and mine looks so big. So even I know when I was practicing with her and hitting with her every day, somehow my court felt always bigger than hers.
I’m like it’s not possible because I know those lines…
