Serena Williams’ shock defeat less than 40 minutes before Kerber’s match in Arthur Ashe Stadium sealed the German’s place as world number one and she underlined her credentials against Wozniacki, winning 6-4 6-3.
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In January, she advanced to the Australian Open title match and beat Serena Williams.
Angelique Kerber, the provisional No. 1, defeated Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3, while Karolina Pliskova upset Serena Williams 6-2, 7-6 (5) in semifinals action Thursday night at Flushing Meadows, New York. Kerber hopes to win her second career grand slam title and 10th title overall.
After the match, she revealed she had been nursing a problem with her left knee in NY since round two.
Kerber, at 28, becomes the oldest player to make her debut at No. 1.
[But] she’s been on tour for numerous years and she’s had some good wins.
“It’s just incredible … it’s a great day”, said Kerber on-court after defeating Wozniacki.
A year ago, Williams’ bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam ended when she lost in the U.S. Open semifinals to unseeded Roberta Vinci of Italy in the semifinals. “And to be No. 1 in the world, it sounds incredible”.
Williams survived two double faults to start the next game.
Williams, found herself under immediate pressure in the second set, too, but this time she aced and then thumped a forehand victor.
Serena said she had “serious left knee problems”, which she thought occurred during a second or third round match. “I wasn’t exhausted from yesterday’s match”, Williams said. I’ll do anything to get the title. “I can hit any serve I want”. “My mind was elsewhere – you are thinking of other things. But it was what it was”. “I wasn’t exhausted from yesterday’s match”, said Williams.
Williams, however, praised Pliskova, who played a flawless first set and ultimately held her nerve. “I think if she had played any less, then maybe I would have had a chance”, Williams said. “She deserved to win today”.
On the other hand Pliskova, who will now meet German second seed Angelique Kerber in Saturday’s final, said she learned plenty during her match with Venus that prepared her for Serena. The No. 4 seed, Addison will face No. 2 Danielle Collins of Virginia for a spot in the final. “She couldn’t play”, he said. I am excited to be in the final and to beat Serena as she is such a great champion.
“I would say also the game was quite similar to Venus, so I knew it’s going to be a little bit the same match and same serving, same speed. I didn’t play as well as I’ve been playing”.
“Serena is a champion”. Even if she was down a set and a break she was still fighting, so it was very hard. “I’m really happy that I stayed there to get the win”, said Pliskova. The next point felt like a momentum changer.
Nonetheless, it was Pliskova who made history of her own Thursday. The tall Pliskova scurried back to retrieve the ball but lost the point. Or was she giving us a taste of the moves she’d be pulling off on the dance floor at a NY nightclub later that night?
The Czech took a 3-0 lead, too, but tightened again to double fault for 3-3. But come Wimbledon, and a replay of the final, Williams got her record-or at least equalled it. There would be no comeback, the kind witnessed over the years at majors.
However, Pliskova was used to that atmosphere and saving a match point in her fourth round victory over Williams’ sister, Venus.
Williams was under pressure immediately in the second, fending off a break point in the opening game. Maybe seeing the finish line, Pliskova blinked and was broken back to love.
For world No. 1 Serena Williams, crashed and burned. There is a huge possiblity that Serena will lost her No. 1 rank in the new rankings.
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Pliskova smacked seven aces to just five by Williams, whose serve is considered the most potent weapon ever produced in the women’s game.
