Serena shrugs off Sydney setback

Serena Williams today insisted she was still the best player in the world despite being seeded second for next week’s Australian Open and humbled in the semi-finals of the Sydney International.

The American was in bullish mood after learning she would be ranked behind Serbian Jelena Jankovic in Melbourne although her confidence did appear misplaced following a 6-3 6-1 thrashing by Russia’s Elena Dementieva.

Despite the setback, Williams is adamant she can regain the crown she won in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

“I don’t think anyone is better than (me),” she said.

“I would feel crazy sitting here being a professional tennis player and saying that someone is better than me.”

Of Jankovic, Williams said: “Yeah, she is ranked higher than me (but) I don’t care if I was 1000 in the world, I would still feel like I was the best.

“That’s just me trying to be positive with myself. Hopefully she (Jankovic) feels that way herself.”

Williams revealed she and sister Venus had been brought up to believe they were the best, making for interesting discussions around the family dinner table.

“I believe in me. I don’t believe anyone’s better than me,” she continued.

“When I talk to Venus she says the same thing. It’s a really weird conversation.

“Whatever you do, you have to believe you’re the best if you want to be the best.”

Williams shrugged off her heavy defeat at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre and predicted she will be in peak condition for the first grand slam of the new season.

“It was good to have a few matches under my belt getting ready for Melbourne,” she added.

“I feel like I’m going to play a lot better than what I did this week.

“My main goal obviously is to go to Melbourne and do the best that I can do.”

Jankovic, who withdrew from a team exhibition event in Hong Kong last week due to illness, leads Williams, Dinara Safina, Dementieva, Ana Ivanovic, Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the top eight of the women’s draw.

Defending champion Maria Sharapova’s withdrawal from the tournament because of ongoing shoulder problems has allowed the rest of the field to move up, meaning world number 11 Nadia Petrova moves into the top 10.

The draw takes place on Friday.