Pliskova showed remarkable composure to overcome Williams in two sets, storming the first 6-2 before slugging out a tie-break in the second to win 7-6 (5).
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“Karolina played great”, Williams said.
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.
She also said that, “To beat Serena is my goal and I am not thinking about the final match”. Then Pliskova changed course, saying: “I mean, actually, I do believe it”. I always knew I had a chance to beat anybody when I am playing my game’.
In 2015, Serena faltered in this same semi final to Roberta Vinci with a chance to win a calendar Grand Slam.
Pliskova advances to her first grand slam final.
“I will try to take the revenge against her”, said Kerber, who holds a 4-3 career edge over the big-serving Pliskova. Pliskova has won 11 straight matches on hard court.
Like Pliskova, Kerber had never progressed beyond the third round at grand slams until then. When Williams sent a backhand long, she trailed 2-1. So it was not so easy mentally, but I was trying to, again, not put too much pressure on myself.
In Saturday’s championship match, Pliskova will tackle second seed Kerber who marked her coronation as the new world number one with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over two-time runner-up Caroline Wozniacki.
In January, she not only advanced to the Australian Open title match but beat Serena Williams there.
The top seed’s disappointment is doubled as she also surrenders the world number one ranking to Angelique Kerber.
Showing the heart of a champion, Williams battled back from a break down to force a tiebreak where she clawed back from 3-0 down to take a 4-3 lead. “She gets a lot of balls back. Now, especially, after the win against Serena”, Kerber said about Pliskova. “I’m a professional player and have been playing for over 20 years”.
For world No. 1 Serena Williams, crashed and burned.
But on Thursday, she certainly looked the part of an up-and-comer with the strokes and demeanor to go far. She made 31 unforced errors in all.
The American’s 186-week reign as world number one is over after the 6-2 7-6 (7-5) loss to Czech Pliskova at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday.
“When you’re hampered, you’re thinking of other things”.
“Like I was making errors that I never make, and definitely I didn’t make in this tournament in particular”, said Williams, a six-time US Open victor.
“I knew I was going to play one of the Williams sisters on centre court (in the semis) with all the people against me, and I was prepared for it”.
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“For me, it’s just wonderful to be after Steffi the next number one player in Germany”, said Kerber, who at 28 will become the oldest player to reach number one.
