- Serena Williams (WTA 605) manages the sensation and defeats Anett Kontaveit (WTA 2) in the second round of the US Open 7: 6 (7: 4), 2: 6, 6: 2.
- The 40-year-old American unpacks her best tennis against the Estonian favorite and rocks Arthur Ashe Stadium.
- The career of the 23-time Grand Slam winner, who has indicated her retirement after the US Open, will be enriched by another chapter.
In what will probably be the last tournament of her career, Serena Williams once again belies all forecasts. Thanks to her victory against Anett Kontaveit, the American is again postponing her retirement by at least two days.
As powerful as in the best of times, surprisingly quick on her feet and with the unshakable will of a 23-time Grand Slam winner: the 40-year-old played more than at eye level with world number 2 and unpacked her best tennis.
The fans are delighted
With the score at 4: 4 in the first set, Williams used her sixth break chance and realized the first service breakthrough. She thus served to win the set, but then entered a phase of weakness. Her serve, which was otherwise so strong as a bear, let her down for once and with a double fault she gave Kontaveit the direct rebreak.
In the end, the tie-break had to decide in this high-class opening set, and there the Estonian favorite drew the short straw. Williams won the short decision 7:4 and thus also the first round – the Arthur Ashe Stadium was already delighted and there were over 23,000 fans with various stars such as Tiger Woods, Billie Jean King and Zendaya.
Legend:
Excited in Flushing Meadows
Serena Williams.
imago images/UPI photo
Sensational decision sentence
However, the second set was no longer to the liking of the American tennis icon. Kontaveit reacted with ruthless balls and probably a bit of anger in his stomach and made it 3-0 early on. After about 35 minutes she equalized the set 6:2.
Williams caught himself impressively in the decider. With a break at the end and the match point used at the first opportunity to make it 6: 2, she made the third round entry a fact. In the meantime, Kontaveit’s nerves had also made themselves felt. No wonder an entire nation – if not practically the entire tennis world – longed for Williams to win.
Now against an Australian
Nevertheless, the success is more than astonishing. This year she has played just four games since returning to the tennis courts at Wimbledon, winning just one of them. Now she shows such tennis and is in the third round of the US Open.
Obviously, the 40-year-old doesn’t want her unique career to end anytime soon. Next up on Friday, Williams will face Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic (WTA 46).