Greg Garber joined ESPN in 1991 and provides reports for NFL Countdown and SportsCenter.
Advertisement
For the second straight year, Serena Williams was upset in the US Open semifinals.
NEW YORK (AP) – Serena Williams was upset in the U.S. Open semifinals for the second year in a row, beaten 6-2, 7-6 (5) by 10th-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic on Thursday night. Pushing Pliskova into a second set tie-break, the World No.1 threw in a sixth double fault to end the contest after just 85 minutes.
Williams said later that the injury’s effect was more mental than physical.
Williams’ coach wasn’t so diplomatic. “But since the start it was awful”. “She was so slow. She couldn’t play”, he said.
Serena Williams wrapped up two records over the course of the US Open – the highest number of Grandslam matches won by a female player, and the highest number across both sexes surpassing even Roger Federer. Even if she wins the second, it’s not the point.
When they engaged in lengthy baseline exchanges, Pliskova’s deep, flat groundstrokes were able to produce the rare sight of Williams back on her heels. Then Kerber went out and looked like a top-ranked player, winning the first four games en route to a 6-4, 6-3 victory.
Serena had needed to make the final and beat Kerber if she was to retain her World No.1 status. The others: Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin – all retired as multimajor champions. “I fought all I could and just came up a bit short”.
After the match, she revealed she had been nursing a problem with her left knee in NY since round two. But fatigue had nothing to do with it. “So I definitely wasn’t exhausted from yesterday’s match at all”. So I definitely wasn’t exhausted from yesterday’s match at all.
Pliskova’s performance belied her experience. “It doesn’t happen often that you’re in the final of Grand Slams”. “I was making errors on simple and simple shots, just blame that on thinking on my leg”, she added. “And that’s what I did”.
“Serena is a champion. It’s a big result for me”, said Pliskova. “I know how well she is playing”.
The loss prevents Williams from earning her seventh championship at Flushing Meadows and 23rd major title overall, which would both have been Open-era records.
The loss also sees Williams surrender the No1 ranking in women’s singles to German Angelique Kerber, who will take top slot no matter what the outcome of her own semi-final clash with Caroline Wozniacki.
According to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, Pliskova entered the match as a more than 4-to-1 underdog.
Kerber beat two-time U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 and will ascend to the No. 1 ranking Monday.
Serena Williams’ night started with an ace.
For the first time since the winter wilds of mid-February 2013, when Williams replaced Victoria Azarenka at No. 1, somebody besides Williams will be No. 1.
It certainly wasn’t vintage Williams about 24 hours after she outlasted Simona Halep in a slugfest and she told reporters post match Thursday she was dealing with a left-knee injury.
Advertisement
Instead, it turned out to be a landmark day for women’s tennis with the cool and collected 10th seeded Karolina Pliskova playing the biggest match of her life to knock out the legend. “I’m not going to sit here and make an excuse”.
