Can Serena catch Navratilova and Evert’s 18 Grand Slam titles?

Question

With her Australian Open 2010 title, Serena Williams has 12 Grand Slam titles to her name, equal with Billie Jean King. But she still needs another six major titles to draw level with Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert (not to mention record holder Margaret Court with 24). Can she do it? Well, Serena is already 28 so time counts against her. So too do the returns of Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters. While there aren’t too many players standing in her way, you’d imagine it’s going to be a big ask to reach 18 major titles.

Answer 1

Serena is getting stronger!

The young players are not good enough, and the established players top class players (Clijsters, Henin, Venus) are not as good as her. Serena could win another 10 grand slams

Answer 2

I think it's possible; it's difficult to opine whether or not it's probable. It's just steep enough a hurdle that predictions are quite difficult, one way or the other. She turns 29 in late September. Evert won her last Grand Slam -- the 1986 French Open -- at 31. Navratilova was 30 when she won her 16th and 17th Grand Slams -- 1987 Wimbledon and the 1987 US Open. She was 33 when she won her 18th and last -- 1990 Wimbledon. Serena's in a battle against time, possible injury, and the resurgence of former top players. The ages at which Evert and Navratilova rounded out their Grand Slam successes aren't meant to suggest that Serena can't power on longer. Further, as for now, Serena's not facing what Evert and Navratilova did in their early 30s -- the clear rise of players like Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini. But tallying up another 5 Grand Slams is a tall task. The French Open has to be all but discounted. As for the remaining 3, there's a spottiness in Serena's record you don't see in, say, Evert's. Evert carved a way to at least the semifinals of the Grand Slams she played consistently, for well over a decade. Serena's fallen victim to surprising early-round upsets on multiple occasions at Grand Slams, excluding the French Open. If Serena plays like she just did at Wimbledon for the next 2-3 years, she'll reach and probably surpass 18. But, if anything forces her away from that kind of play, it's a very, very tough call, and there's good reason to suspect she won't hit that mark; granted, what she's already accomplished is thoroughly impressive by any standard.