Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, reacts after beating Serena Williams during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, in NY. “She will go out there and try and win her first grand slam, but at the end I will try the same”, said Kerber.
Advertisement
Pliskova will become the fourth different female grand slam victor this year if she can stun Kerber and the 24-year-old said she is not finished yet after denying Williams a 23rd major title.
“That was always a dream for me”, the No. 2-seeded Kerber said after beating Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals Thursday night, when 10th-seeded Pliskova upset Williams 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Pliskova – who had never been beyond the third round of a grand slam before this tournament – dominated the first set, breaking Williams twice and holding all of her games with a strong serve. “Steffi’s a great player and a great person, and I think she is proud of me, to be the next one after her”, Kerber said, as quoted by the BBC.
Pliskova became the first Czech woman to make the US Open final since 1993.
Murray and Soares, the Australian Open champs, scored a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory over the top-seeded team of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who won Wimbledon this year after taking their first Grand Slam title last year at Flushing Meadows.
The German lefty will face Karolina Pliskova on Saturday in a rematch of the final at Cincinnati almost three weeks earlier. “I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen her move so slow”.
“It was not so easy to go then on court, because I knew it actually before that if Serena lost, of course, that I will be the No. 1”, Kerber explained in post-match press.
While Pliskova cruised through her quarter-final against Croatia’s Ana Konjuh on Wednesday, Williams was made to work hard by fifth seed Simona Halep, before winning in three sets.
But a clearly annoyed Williams refused to use fatigue as an excuse for her loss and instead blamed her sluggishness more on left knee problems that limited her mobility.
At least she has the consolation of knowing her surprise run to a fifth semi-final in the city where she keeps a second home will translate to a place back in the world top 30. “Then I was just trying to get used to this pressure, all the stuff that happened after Australia”.
“When you’re hampered, you’re thinking of other things”. The tennis stars will also share the 186-week record for the No. 1 world ranking.
Advertisement
– Kerber has enjoyed a breakout year.
