‘Just Serena’: Williams’ upset win at US Open keeps the legend advancing in final days of her storied career
Serena Williams’ upset victory in the women’s final was historic and her career could be set for even more greatness.
Williams, the world No. 1 and former world No. 1, overcame a shaky start — a double-fault and an early double-fault that took her score to 23, far worse that most of the previous top seeds — and then beat the top seed, Serena Williams, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 in a major final for the first time in seven years.
Williams had been in her own world for most of the tournament, but this is not her best. This was her best, and her win kept her on track to make history.
On the same day, the women’s final of the French Open was one-sided.
There was less than 15 minutes between the top two seeds: the No. 1-seeded Serena Williams, a world No. 1, the world No. 2, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and her friend and doubles partner Kim Clijsters. The two faced off in an extremely tight quarterfinal match in the second set; they were pushed to a tiebreaker. On the tiebreaker, Clijsters won to move into the deciding third set to advance. Later in the third, Williams won the match.
Williams is going to dominate in the years ahead. This was only her second major title, and it’s far from her last.
“I’m just fortunate to play with such great players,” she said after the final. “I just try to have fun with them and enjoy every moment. That’s what tennis is all about — enjoying what we do.”
And now she heads into an Open Championship that will allow her to become the first American since Billie Jean King to