She also failed to pass Chris Evert for a record seventh Open title.
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Undone by a half-dozen double-faults, including on match point, and plenty of other mistakes she blamed in part on dealing with an injured left knee, Williams was upset 6-2, 7-6 (5) by big-serving Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic on Thursday night.
For Williams it was a case of déjà vu.
Williams suffered a shock defeat in Arthur Ashe Stadium by Karolina Pliskova to end her pursuit of a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title, as well as losing her status as the world’s top player.
The top seed had been hoping to win a second successive Major crown after emerging victorious at Wimbledon in July but she slipped to a 6-2 7-6 to the Czech, who reaches her first Grand Slam final.
Not only has the 6-foot-1 Pliskova hit more aces than anyone on tour this year – 446, including seven against Williams – her groundstrokes are as smooth as a loon gliding across a lake at dawn.
The Women’s Tennis Association confirmed in a statement posted on its website that Kerber would be the new No. 1, when it publishes the new rankings on Monday.
Pliskova broke Williams’ serve twice in the first set, winning it in only 26 minutes.
Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, said she played hurt. “I wasn’t exhausted from yesterday’s match”, said Williams.
‘I just blame that on thinking about my leg and just not thinking about the shot’. “Now after I can relax a little bit and try and enjoy this special night today”, Kerber added.
Kerber holds a 4-3 record against Pliskova, who denied the German the No. 1 ranking with a win in the Cincinnati final last month. She continually matched the 22-time major champion shot for shot from the baseline, forcing Williams into an ultimate error. The tall Pliskova scurried back to retrieve the ball but lost the point.
“I knew I was to play centre court one of the sisters Williams against all the people there, so I was prepared for it”. “I would say it’s still her choice if she wants to play or if she is ready to play or not”. “To be the No. 1 player [as a German]”, she said, “I think she would be proud of me”.
Williams is generally considered the best server in the women’s game, but Pliskova was better.
“When you’re hampered you’re thinking of other things”, said the American, a six-time US Open champion. Everyone I’m playing is playing like they’re No. 1.
“I was always dreaming [about being No.1] when I was really young”, Kerber grinned after the match. “Was my first match on center court”.
She defeated the German left-hander in the Cincinnati final on the eve of the US Open. But on Thursday she achieved the biggest win of her life.
Pliskova, playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final, would not feel any pressure, as the hard-serving Czech takes a 4-2 lead when Serena can not return this ball. Kerber has won four of her seven career meetings with the Czech, including their matches a year ago at Edgbaston and Stanford.
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“I’m really happy to be there and even have the chance to play in the final here”, said Pliskova, who took out Venus and Serena Williams en route to her first Grand Slam final. And her 3 1/2-year reign at No. 1 in the WTA rankings is over, too, one week shy of what would have been yet another mark.
