Serena Williams, ranked number 1 in the world, will become the career leader in major titles won if she can stay healthy, according to former world number one and tennis great Steffi Graf.
In a story written by the Associated Press and uploaded in Yahoo! Sports, Graf expressed belief that the 32-year old Williams will break the all-time record of 24 set by Margaret Court. Graf was just two major titles away from the record of Court but she retired at the young age of 30 due to injuries.
''She's got a lot of tennis left in her,'' Graf told The Associated Press. ''I can easily see her pass all of our records. I don't see the competition catching up to her at all.''
Williams currently has 17 major titles after conquering the US Open earlier this month. She is one away from the 18 titles held by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.
Graf, whose body succumbed to knee injuries, was known for her powerful forehand and versatile footwork. She won seven Wimbledon tournaments, six French Open titles, five in the US Open and four in the Australian Open. She is the only singles player in history to win the Golden Grand Slam in one calendar year.
''Her body has been holding up really well,'' Graf said of Williams. She added that the American is so strong and boasts of a powerful game.
Graf and Williams have crossed paths in the tennis court, in 1999 to be specific when the retired star beat a then 17-year old American in Sydney. Later that year, Williams returned the favor by beating Graf at Indian Wells.
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