Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY SEPT 9

20
SPORTSWednesday 9 September
Serena beats Venus at U.S. Open to extend Slam bid
HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — If Serena
Williams would feel sym-
pathy for any opponent
standing in the way of her
pursuit of tennis’ first true
Grand Slam in 27 years, it
might very well be her sister
Venus.
Still, no way was Serena go-
ing to let anyone, or any-
thing, stop her on this night,
even if she found herself in
a mid-match lull while fac-
ing her older sibling in the
U.S. Open quarterfinals.
Moving two matches from
history, top-seeded Serena
got all she could handle
from 23rd-seeded Venus
before moving onto the
semifinals at Flushing Mead-
ows with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 vic-
tory Tuesday in the 27th in-
stallment of the unique Wil-
liams vs. Williams rivalry.
When it ended, they met
at the net for a hug, with
a smiling Venus wrapping
both arms around Serena.
“She’s the toughest play-
er I’ve ever played in my
life and the best person I
know,” Serena said in an
on-court interview. “It’s go-
ing against your best friend
and at the same time going
against the greatest com-
petitor, for me, in women’s
tennis.”
Serena is 16-11 in their
matches, taking seven of
their last eight meetings.
She leads 9-5 in majors and
3-2 at the U.S. Open. Of
greater significance is this:
Serena can still become
the first player since Steffi

Serena Williams, left, hugs Venus Williams after winning their quarterfinal match at the U.S. Open to all come down to one
tennis tournament, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015, in New York. set.
At 35, the oldest woman to
Associated Press enter the tournament, Ve-
nus had her own reasons for
Graf in 1988 to collect all ity. Serena took control of the wanting to win, of course.
She hadn’t reached the
four Grand Slam titles in a The sisters combined for 57 opening set, grabbing its semifinals at any Grand
Slam tournament since the
calendar year. winners (Serena had more, last four games. Suddenly, 2010 U.S. Open, and might
have considered this her
And if she can win what 35) and only 37 unforced though, she showed some last, best chance to col-
lect an eighth major singles
would be her fourth U.S. errors (Venus had fewer, jitters early in the second, championship of her own.
True to her word, their
Open in a row, and sev- 15). dumping a slow-for-her mother, Oracene Price, did
not attend the match. And
enth overall, she would Both pounded serves fast, second serve into the net neither of her daughters
equal Graf with 22 major very fast, each topping 120 to fall behind 3-1, part of betrayed much in the way
championships, the most mph. Both returned well, a five-game run for Venus of emotion.
When Serena, who is 15
in the professional era and oh so well, each manag- to even the match at a set months younger, earned
a key break to lead 2-0 in
second-most ever behind ing to put into play at least apiece. the third thanks to a down-
the-line backhand winner
Margaret Court’s 24. one serve at more than 115 They had played 63 intense that landed in a corner,
she gritted her teeth, held
Well-known folks such as mph by the other. minutes, so aware of each clenched fists near her
head and leaned forward,
Donald Trump — who was Venus often attempted to other’s tactics and tenden- holding the pose. She did
not shake those fists or
booed when shown on vid- end baseline exchanges cies, and now it was going scream or jump, the way
she usually does against
other women.
And when she got to
match point when a shot
by Venus sailed long, Ser-
ena dropped to a knee be-
hind the baseline, her back
to her sister.
Serena then smacked a
107 mph ace, her 12th, to
end it.q
eo screens — Oprah Win- quickly. Serena showed
frey and Kim Kardashian tremendous touch by us-
dotted the teeming stands, ing drop shots, one paired
and the action under the with a backhand passing
lights in Arthur Ashe Stadi- winner, another with a per-
um often was of high qual- fectly curled lob.