(New York Daily News) The Sunday, September 12, 1999 issue of the New York Daily News, featuring Serena Williams’ win at the U.S. Open.
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For the second year in a row, Serena Williams’ bid to make history ended with a shocking loss in the U.S. Open semifinals.
After finishing 2015 ranked 10th in the world, with only one Grand Slam semi-final appearance behind her, she shocked Williams in the Australian Open final. It was a bad beat, as a sluggish Kerber had no answers for Pliskova’s power game, and the Czech controlled the match from start to finish to cruise to a 6-3, 6-1 win.
NEW YORK (AP) – Angelique Kerber earned the No. 1 ranking before she stepped on court, then she went out there and looked like a top-ranked player.
Like Saturday, there was a title at stake.
So while there is still a lot on the line, of course – millions of dollars, a major trophy – Kerber does not have to deal with the pressure of trying to ascend to No. 1. 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. “I was actually really exhausted because I came from Rio and I had a lot of tough matches there”.
“After that I was just telling myself, ‘OK, I will get one more chance, ‘” Kerber said. Pliskova, 24, had not even gone past the third round of a Grand Slam event before this fortnight and her victory over Williams was spectacular despite Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou ungraciously tainting it by portraying Williams as too injured to move.
In January, she not only advanced to the Australian Open title match but beat Serena Williams there.
“I’m growing and I’m not putting the pressure on my shoulders if something like this happens”, she said. “And, yeah, she’s playing really well”, said Wozniacki, who spent 67 weeks atop the WTA, finishing 2010 and 2011 at No. 1.
“I lost a lot of matches with this stuff, because I was frustrated”. It’s a huge thing. “I thought she served well and that was definitely a big thing for her”. But I think right now I get used to it, playing really aggressive but also being really good in the defensive and just try to move good and making the mix. The German, however, will not be deterred if the Czech goes ahead, as she will believe in her ability to turn it around. The Czech won because she executed her skills more effectively during the match. Here, I have one day off [Friday], so I can really prepare for the final.
Begins 2012 with two semi-finals in Auckland and Hobart before she beats Maria Sharapova, the top seed, in the quarter-finals in Paris, then beats second-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli to clinch her first title.
“So I’m happy that right now it’s all paid off and I finally found my game”.
The match offers an intriguing contrast in styles.
The 6-foot-1 Pliskova serves well, leading the tour in aces this season and averaging 175kmh in the semifinal, and her angled offerings gave Williams fits.
After a week of weather that was better for ducks than tennis, it was a spectacular late-summer day in Queens, and 17-year-old Serena Williams celebrated in grand style, becoming the first African-American woman to capture a major singles tennis title in 41 years.
The 5-foot-8 Kerber, meanwhile, is terrific at retrieving and counter-punching, dropping down to a knee at times along the baseline to get balls back.
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Kerber’s excellent movement will be even more decisive against Pliskova, who has admitted she still needs to improve in this area.
