Serena Williams break the record after winning her 308 match against Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan in Flushing Meadows.
Advertisement
She will go up against Czech 10th seed Karolina Pliskova as she overcame Serena’s sister Venus 4-6, 6-4, 7-6. Eventually, after saving all 12 break points she faced in that set, Halep grabbed it 6-4 on her fifth set point. “I knew if I wanted to win this I had to step it up in the third set”.
Win No. 309 wasn’t as easy as her previous wins at this year’s Open, as Williams dropped a set for the first time in the tournament. Her power and precision rattled Halep, and Williams raced out to a 3-0 lead. This is an easier match for Serena, as it nearly plays into her hands with the constant power shots.
As Halep can attest, though, Williams does not relinquish anything easily.
That is the first set Williams has lost in five matches at Flushing Meadows this year.
The match dramatically changed in the second set. The pair traded holds until the fourth game when Williams rattled off four quick points from love-15 down to earn a break that would prove crucial. A break of serve for Williams might have likely meant an early night for all. “She’s a tough player”, Wozniacki said.
“To be honest”, Pliskova said, “it was really hard. when I lost my serve”.
But her decision to keep going has her rewriting records that were never even on her radar, each one fuelling her desire to continue a spectacular spell of dominance. Williams handed the break to Halep with a double fault for 2-1.
We also know that Serena Williams is a four-time Olympic gold medalist before the Rio Olympics happened last month. But Pliskova erased that with a swinging forehand volley – the sort of shot Williams loves to hit – and followed it up with another aggressive forehand victor. The key game again proved yet another marathon as Halep served for the set up 5-4. After Pliskova frittered away one with a double-fault, Williams steeled herself and stepped up, smacking a volley victor, cross-court backhand victor and two forehand winners to break back for 6-all.
The World No. 1 kept moving forward to put away big forehand winners in the forecourt. “She hasn’t quite come out yet, though”. A Serena backhand into the net, the 18th point, ended a 10-minute game, and sent off Halep on a second-set tear.
“I wasn’t very happy about that”. It was indeed an important day for the Williams as they both have a game changer.
As good as Williams’ serve is, it’s Pliskova who leads the tour in aces in 2016.
Williams, playing now with more control on her shots, found herself holding a thirteenth break point chance.
There are more major milestones to be had if Williams can reach the winner’s circle again on September 10.
Leading at 5-3, Williams stepped to the line as she aimed to serve out the match.
This came after Djokovic’s second-round opponent, Jiri Vesely, withdrew from the tournament with a sore left forearm. Halep saved the first two.
Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, the 2015 French Open champion, also progressed by cruising to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 win over Illya Marchenko of Ukraine.
“I’m glad I got tested”, said Williams, who pounded 50 winners to offset 43 unforced errors. I don’t have to be afraid or to have emotions because I have nothing to lose.
Advertisement
Having broken through to the quarters Pliskova didn’t waste her opportunity.
