There are, however, some key differences, including that the earlier one was at a run-of-the-mill event and the upcoming one is at a Grand Slam tournament. And her 3 1/2-year reign at No. 1 in the WTA rankings is over, too, one week shy of what would have been yet another mark.
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Serena Williams was knocked off the top spot after Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic beat her at the U.S. Open. Kristyna plays left-hand; Karolina is a right-hander.
She is also the oldest player to make her debut at No.1, a record previously held by Jennifer Capriati, who was 25 years, 200 days when she reached No.1 in October 2001. “I think she’s proud of me to be the next one after her”.
“I’m not going to sit here and make an excuse”, said Williams, 34, as reported by ESPN, during her post-match press conference.
“But at the end I know how I was playing in Cincinnati”.
Many first-time Grand Slam finalists before her have crashed and burned, while some like Kerber at this year’s Australian Open and Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004 have thrived. Pliskova beat Williams in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Williams and older sibling Venus have been at the forefront of the women’s game for the past two decades, but both are in their mid-30s and reaching the twilight of their illustrious careers.
Though Williams adamantly stated she wasn’t exhausted during her post-game press conference, the 34-year-old certainly has many more miles on her legs than Pliskova. Ten of her 15 visits to the main draw had ended in the first round.
Prior to defeating Williams, the 24-year-old had never made it past the third round in 17 previous appearances at majors.
But now she’s on an 11-match winning streak. The 6-1 Czech has a regal bearing on the court, shows little emotion other than an abbreviated first pump, and goes about her business.
For the second straight year, Williams suffered a shocking upset in the U.S. Open semifinals, as she lost to No. 10 seed Karolina Pliskova, 6-2, 7-6 (5), in New York City on Thursday night.
Kerber has one unfinished piece of business – getting even with Pliskova, who beat her in last month’s Cincinnati final. She definitely has a target on her back now.
Serena Williams (in 2014) was the most recent female champion to win the US Open without dropping a set. She knows how to change the pace.
Like Pliskova, Kerber had never progressed beyond the third round at grand slams until then.
“When you’re hampered you’re thinking of other things”, said the American, a six-time US Open champion. But Thursday, she looked the part of an up-and-comer with the strokes and demeanor to go far. At this point in her career, she can not be happy just being in the final.
But watching Williams miss shot after shot – 31 unforced errors in all – one couldn’t help but wonder why.
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Afterward, Williams dismissed the notion she was tired from a grueling three-set quarterfinal against Simona Halep that concluded less than 22 hours before the semifinal started (Pliskova, whose quarterfinal was earlier Wednesday, watched, then slept in until 1 p.m. on Thursday).
