Australian Open 2021 - 'The summer of 1926!' - Serena Williams with jokey comeback to reporter

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 16/02/2021 at 11:54 GMT

Serena Williams was as quick on her feet in her post-match press conference as she was out on Rod Laver Arena in defeating Simona Halep in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the 2021 Australian Open. The seven-time champion at Melbourne Park was in very fine form as she won through to the last four.

A reporter received a sharp and humorous response from Serena Williams during her post-match press conference after she beat Simona Halep at the Australian Open.

Williams reached her 40th Grand Slam semi-final as she dismissed her fellow former world number one in emphatic fashion, 6-3 6-3, in their Australian Open quarter-final.

It was a hugely impressive performance from the American, who is in hot pursuit of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, with Eurosport's Mats Wilander raving about her display.

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"Her footwork, that's what makes the difference," pointed out Wilander. "She doesn't have to rip every shot and she forced Halep to make mistakes.

I think this is the best I've seen Serena look, and it is good that she was tested in that second set.

The 39-year-old will face yet another superstar opponent in the last four at Melbourne Park in 2019 champion Naomi Osaka, but before that she took a moment to have some fun at her press conference.

After reeling off a bunch of stats, the question eventually came regarding Serena's return to a level that many don't feel she has matched in years.

'The summer of 1926!' - Serena's sarcastic comeback to reporter

"When was the last time you felt like those kinds of rallies belonged to you?" came the question.

Serena's response was thoughtful at first, then comical, then thoughtful again, with an answer that made the press room laugh.

"It's definitely been a minute, it's been a long minute," Williams began.

I think 19... 1926, the summer of 1926, I think, was the last time I felt that!

Highlights | Serena Williams - Simona Halep

"But, you know, I'm good at rallying, and I have to embrace the things I'm good at. I'm good at playing power, I'm good at hitting 100 balls, so that's one thing that's unique about me.

"I just need to kind of accept it and embrace it, and be good at both, so yeah, I just needed to do that."

Now Serena is back to her famous form from the summer of 1926, Osaka will have to look out in the semi-finals.

'The best I've seen Serena look' - Wilander and Henman rave about Williams

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