Heavily favored to win the women’s final at the U.S. Open and with it, the first calendar-year Grand Slam since Steffi Graf did it in 1988, the world’s top-ranked player, Serena Williams, did something no one expected in the semifinal against unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci: she lost.
Williams played the first set with calculated power, taking it 6-2. Williams faltered in the second set, losing it to Vinci 4-6, forcing a third set. This was the first time Vinci has taken a single set in the four times they’ve met before. The third set started out in Williams’ favor but she couldn’t put it together, losing the set and the match 6-4.
Vinci, who has never made it to a major final, will... Read More
Serena and Venus Williams fought a bittersweet battle against each other to progress to the semifinals. A normally vocal Serena was quiet and reserved when it came to celebrating important and difficult points, careful not to rub it into her older sister’s face. But Venus did not go quietly: The first set belonged to Serena at 6-2, but the second set overwhelmingly went to Venus 6-1, forcing a third set, which Serena clawed her way to win 6-3.
Serena continues her quest to make history in the semifinals against Roberta Vinci (Italy), who she’s beaten all four times they’ve played, tonight at 7pm ET on ESPN.
Novak Djokovic defeated Feliciano Lopez (Spain) in a quick but aggressive match that stacked up 6-1, 3-6,... Read More
