“I feel like in this tournament, I’ve definitely turned a different zone,” Williams told the New York Post. “I’m not sure if I can articulate what zone that is. But it’s not about kind, it’s not to myself, it’s not about anything in particular. It’s definitely something different, though.”

Whatever that zone is, Williams is always on hand to remind us that there is no blueprint for a tennis champion, and being different makes you unique. Two years to the day after welcoming her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, into the world, the tennis champion posted a photo to Instagram celebrating the occasion.

“The last 2 years have been my greatest accomplishment,” she captioned alongside a photo of her cradling her newborn baby, with her husband, the Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian proudly looking on.

Tomorrow, the six-time US Open champion takes on Canada’s Bianca Andreescu in the finals, four weeks after she was forced to retire from the Rogers Cup final with a back injury. Williams paid her opponent a moving tribute as she accepted defeat, but she’ll no doubt be in fierce pursuit of the cup this time around.

Now, more than ever, is the time to recognise Williams’ brilliance, her persistence, and her winning mentality in a world that has been doubting her form. The tennis star is on a bid to collect a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title, and we should never underestimate her.

US Open: Serena Williams is defying her critics, and it’s so inspiring to watch