By: Riha Rao Image credit: People
Recently, Alycia Parks gained attention for her impressive performance at the Lyon Open. Parks is not only reinventing the notion of WTA superstars; she is also forging her own personality.
She is sure to be a contender for every Slam event she plays in because of her incredible forehand. She had, however, previously taken on the unbeatable Serena Williams herself.
For such a young player, and especially one who admires Serena, defeating Serena in a practice match requires more than just mental fortitude.
On the podcast, The South Got Something to Say, Stubbs tells Caitlin, “Before the US Open last year, I wanted Serena to play practice sets against as many people as possible… Something she has never done in the past”.
Meanwhile, Eric Hechtman, told Stubbs, “I’ve got this girl Alycia Parks tomorrow…Young American,she lost in quallies, good player, big game, she’ll do whatever Serena wants her to do.”
What followed was completely unexpected. Serena was struck by Parks all over the court on a day when she was already depressed by the loss of her dog.
Now reminiscing about the practice, Stubbs says, “She [Serena] is getting spanked by Alycia. She was aceing like 120 miles an hour – T serves, out wide.”
Speaking of how this was Serena's "worst practice" match, Stubbs remarks on Parks' poise while squaring off against her role model. She pretended there was no strain on her at all.
Serena Williams’ First Racquet: The Intriguing Story Behind How Serena Williams’ Tennis Journey Started