[ad_1]
NEW YORK – Serena Williams was a bit shaky at the start of her semifinal of the US Open.
For six minutes.
That's the time it took him to give up the first two games Thursday night. Williams spent the next hour playing without problems, especially on the net, winning 12 of 13 games to beat Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova (19th) 6-3, 6-0 to reach her ninth-place finish at Flushing Meadows and 31st overall. Grand Slam. tournaments.
"I've worked hard on my stolen I've won some doubles championships, so I know how to play volleyball," Williams said with a laugh, before adding this sentence: "I'm coming just to shake hands. "
With one more win, Williams will win his seventh US Open championship and his 24th singles trophy, equaling the most points in Margaret Court's tennis history. Williams already owns the brand for most of the half-century professional era; Court won some of his own against the amateur competition.
On Saturday, Williams will face Naomi Osaka, 20, the first Japanese woman to reach the Grand Slam final.
Osaka saved the 13-point break that she faced on Thursday and defeated 2017 runner-up Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4.
Asked during her field interview, Osaka replied with a laugh: "It will really sound, but I was just thinking of playing Serena."
Why?
"Because she's Serena," Osaka said. "What do you mean?"
Williams lost in the semi-finals on his two previous trips to New York – against Roberta Vinci in 2015 by making an offer for a grand slam of the calendar year and against Karolina Pliskova in 2016.
A year ago, Williams missed the US Open because she gave birth to her daughter, Olympia, during the tournament. She then discussed complications related to blood clots.
The American resumed the tour in February and at the Grand Slam at the Open de France in May, when she had to retire from the field with injured thoracic muscle. At her second major comeback, Wimbledon, she was second.
Now, there is a chance to take a title and become, just a few weeks younger than 37, the oldest woman to win a Slam in singles.
"Honestly, it's really amazing." One year ago, I was literally fighting for my life at the hospital after having the baby, "Williams said, his voice wavering. "So, every day I go out on this field, I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to practice this sport, you know, so no matter what happens in a match – semi-finals – I feel like already won. "
Sevastova participated in a major semi-final for the first time at 28 years old. Although she started the night quite well at the Arthur Ashe stadium, making two clear games for a quick 2-0 lead, everything changed quickly.
The roof was closed hours earlier due to a forecast of rain and strong wind. , and after almost every point, she won.
And there were plenty of them.
Total winners? Williams led 31-10 in this category. And Sevastova's penchant for penalty kicks did not pay off: she lost three points in the first set with mistakes that landed on the wrong side of the net.
"She had a little luck, I think, during a few breaks in the first set, and then she started to feel better, and when she's in the lead, it's hard to play," Sevastova said. tour in 2015. "She stayed focused in the second set."
The key to Williams, really, was something of a new ride: to advance as much as possible.
Sevastova is changing a lot of speed and angle, which has helped to eliminate the defending champion Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals. In order to avoid too long exchanges from the bottom line, Williams and his coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, thought it was more logical to put pressure on Sevastova.
It worked. And how.
Williams won 24 of 28 points when she went to the net. Add to that its usual powerful base game and always excellent service, which reached 120 km / h (194 km / h), and it really was not a fight at all.
"To go so far, so fast," Williams told the fans afterwards, "I'm just getting started, you guys."
Osaka is at the beginning of what could be a wonderful career. She is the youngest woman to reach a US Open final since 2009 and has only one title at the tour level so far.
She was born in Japan, but moved to New York at the age of 3 and is now based in Florida. His coach is Sascha Bajin, Williams' former partner.
"Mom, I did it.I like you.Thank you," said Osaka during his interview. In the stands, his mother raised two inches and applauded.
Encouraged to address a message to Williams, Osaka says, "I love you," then laughs and covers his face before adding: "I love everyone."
Source link
