Karolina Pliskova shattered Serena Williams’s bid for a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title Thursday, her 6-2, 7-6 (5) win setting-up a US Open final against new world number one Angelique Kerber. She believes her time has finally come. Pliskova is the fourth woman to beat both Williams siblings during the same Grand Slam tournament.
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“I got a few texts, but that just made me feel worse”, Wozniacki said later.
“So that’s the first memory about them”. “Now especially with the win against Serena”. Well, if Serena isolates herself in the same manner she did previous year and decide not to play until next season, Kerber has a chance to establish a foundation at the top.
The match came to a surprising end as Williams double faulted and lost in the semis of the Open for the second straight year.
Pliskova hadn’t been past a third round of a Grand Slam event until the Open.
The German had a celebratory swim in Melbourne’s Yarra River after her breakthrough slam but had nothing planned after taking the US Open crown.
Growing up, they were competitive in just about everything.
Eurosport will broadcast the 2016 US Open live in the United Kingdom across Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2. On the other hand, Kerber is one of the best returners on the tour. Before, when we were always together, we were fighting about everything, clothes and everything. There was no way, she said, that would she talk about the rankings. She hasn’t dropped a set in these championships.
After a punishing three-set quarter-final against Simona Halep on the same court 24 hours early, Williams appeared sluggish against Pliskova.
Williams was bidding to surpass Steffi Graf’s Open-era record 22 major triumphs but she bowed out in Arthur Ashe Stadium to a ruthless Pliskova, who won 6-2 7-6 (7/5).
“You know, it’s not a lot of people who have been No. 1”. The playing field should be a lot more even on Saturday.
Angelique Kerber reacts after beating Caroline Wozniacki.
Although six-foot 11-inch Ivo Karlovic is the men’s ace leader in NY with 120 from four matches played, Gael Monfils of France leads the remaining men’s semifinalists with 49 aces. She leads the WTA tour in aces this year. Pliskova roared in celebration while Kerber was left applauding her racket.
Williams did give a nod of appreciation to Pliskova, who outgunned her opponent at her own game, with power, aggression and a blistering serve.
“I wasn’t able to move the way I wanted to move”, Williams explained. At 28, Kerber will become the oldest female player to make her debut at No. 1.
Before Thursday, Williams and Pliskova had played each other only once, with the top-ranked American winning a close two-set match in Stanford two years ago.
But Pliskova stopped her from claiming the No 1 position in Cincinnati, and she could be a party spoiler for the German and her fans once again.
Kerber was at her counterpunching best against the powerful Pliskova, who wilted late in the third set under hot, humid conditions. That was part of a stretch in which Pliskova grabbed 10 of the first set’s last 11 points. “I have been having some serious left knee problems”, Serena said after the match, as per wtatennis.com.
“I beat very good players”.
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Look out Venus and Serena, there’s another sister act in town.
