Wins U.S. Open in 2008 to break the grand slam drought, having not won a major title since the 2007 Australian Open. This year, the 24-year-old came in ranked World No. 47 and defeated Venus Williams and Ekaterina Makarova en route to her first Slam semifinal.
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“If she’s playing her game, it’s different level. Again, I haven’t won this one”, Williams said Friday. “But Angie sure could use Steffi’s serve”.
Murray was asked about developments to the match-fixing claims, as have many players in the last 10 days. “Steffi, write me please”, she laughed and said. “Never know if it’s the words [that changed things]”, Beltz added, “but for sure it helped”.
The win puts the left-hander into her first ever Grand Slam final on her 33rd attempt, marking the first time a German has got so far at Melbourne Park since 1996.
There is no chance of Kerber matching Serena in terms of power, but she may be able to frustrate her simply by keeping the ball in play. The pair face-off on Rod Laver Arena for a place in the final of the year’s opening Grand Slam, with either Germany’s Angelique Kerber or British surprise package Johanna Konta awaiting whoever wins.
Williams and Kerber have met six times, with the American winning five, though Kerber’s 6-4 6-4 victory in Cincinnati in 2012 was one she would not forget.
“I will go out there to try and enjoy my first final and try to beat Serena, of course”. Everyone was nervous for me that I was taking four months off, but this is a big year for me, and I wanted to improve and do better.
A more evocative description was the desire to “re-heal”, for the deep US Open wound still ached.
Her free flowing tennis, punctuated by focus and grit, was spirited and inspiring. “I think I have shown everybody that I deserve it”.
Serena Williams in straight sets. “I was the favourite in NY”, she said. That’s why she is the victor and I’m not today.
That sounds more like it, given that some betting agencies have already paid out on a Williams win. “Tying is one thing, beating it is better”.
Williams, the top seed and defending champion, has yet to lose a set in six matches in Melbourne the past two weeks.
In 2011, she underwent surgery after a life-threatening blood clot was detected on her lung.
“There was just no mistake”. After being tested by the feisty Italian Camilla Giorgi in the First Round, Williams has been crushing every opponent on her way to the Semi Finals. She needed time, she said, to recover mentally and physically.
She believes a finals breakthrough in this, her 33rd major, has come at “the right moment”. Djokovic’s only loss in a major a year ago was in the final of the French Open. I am a top player right now. I think that’s all you need to accept about that.
She crushed long-time rival Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals and dished out the same treatment to Radwanska, halting her 13-match win streak in emphatic fashion. However, owing to the sheer unpredictability of Women’s tennis there is a ray of hope for the Kerber as well. If I don’t win on Saturday, I’ll still be one off. It took me forever to get to 18 [and draw level with Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert].
“‘Nothing to lose” means I can go out there and try to play like I’m playing, without pressure”, the 28-year-old said. Her fourth-seeded opponent admitted she couldn’t do much.
Still, there are sure to be nerves on such a big occasion for the understated blonde described recently as the “Best Supporting Actress” on the women’s tour.
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The second set was much more evenly matched, with Williams not moving as nimbly as she had earlier in the afternoon. “I feel like I could have done better in NY”, she said.
