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A20 SPORTS
Wednesday 10 July 2019

With 19 aces, gutsy comeback, Serena reaches Wimbledon semis

tournament, according to
the WTA.
Williams rolled her right an-
kle and her movement was
hardly ideal. Late in the sec-
ond set, she was visited by
a trainer, who applied ex-
tra tape to the ankle. That
was during a stretch when
Riske, talking to herself be-
tween points, claimed four
games in a row to take the
second set and lead the
third by a break at 1-0.
“I thought,” Riske said, “I
was very close.”
Not close enough. Williams
was not going to go quiet-
ly. She held at love to lead
4-3, and then came the key
game. Riske saved a trio
of break points and was a
point from 4-all after claim-
ing a point when Williams
slipped along the well-worn
baseline.
First Williams got back to
deuce by using a drop shot
to set up a volley winner.
Then she earned yet anoth-
er break point on a thrilling
10-stroke exchange, using
United States’ Serena Williams returns the ball during a mixed doubles match with Britain’s Andy Murray on day eight of the a drop shot to bring Riske
Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday, July 9, 2019. forward and delivering a
Associated Press volley winner. Williams lifted
By HOWARD FENDRICH That might have made all Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. to the baseline. both arms and jutted her
AP Tennis Writer the difference. It’s Williams After edging Riske in sin- Even if Williams was hardly jaw. In the stands, her hus-
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) who possesses boundless gles, Williams cooled down perfect, she got by, aided band leaped from his seat,
— Slowed by a balky ankle, muscle memory in these by riding a stationary bike by her greatest-in-the- pointed his index fingers at
trailing by a service break situations, who knows what while holding her nearly game serve and Riske’s her and screamed.
in the third set of her Wim- it takes to come through in 2-year-old daughter, Olym- miscues. Most glaringly, On the next point, Riske
bledon quarterfinal, Serena the tightest contests on the pia, in one arm. Then Wil- Riske double-faulted five double-faulted, handing
Williams appeared to be in biggest stages. liams went out and joined times in the final set, at least over the last break Williams
trouble Tuesday against an “I definitely thought maybe Andy Murray to win their somewhat a result of trying needed.
opponent playing the tour- I had a peek here and there second-round match in to do too much against Wil- After breaking Steffi Graf’s
nament of her life. at a couple openings, but mixed doubles 7-5, 6-3 liam’s superb returns. record for most Grand
Williams was down, yes. But Serena really upped her against Fabrice Martin and “It’s no secret that Serena Slam trophies in the profes-
out? No way. And now she level, as only a champion Raquel Atawo. has an amazing serve. But sional era by winning her
is two victories from that would,” Riske said. Halep, a former No. 1 who Serena has an equally-as- 23rd at the 2017 Australian
24th Grand Slam title that’s “It was really, actually, very won the 2018 French Open, amazing return,” Riske said. Open while pregnant, Wil-
been barely eluding her. interesting for me to be on followed up her elimination “I’ve never played anyone liams took time off. Since
Lifting her play a much- the opposite end, because of 15-year-old sensation that has a return like Ser- returning to the tour last
needed notch down the I felt her up her game and Coco Gauff by defeating ena. That put a lot of pres- season, she came close to
stretch to grab the last her intensity,” Riske said Zhang Shuai of China 7-6 sure on my serve.” equaling Margaret Court’s
three games, capping the with a smile. “Yeah, I hope (4), 6-1 to get to her sec- Still, Riske played tremen- Slam count of 24 — which
comeback with her 19th she takes the title now.” ond semifinal at Wimble- dously well for most of the was accumulated in part
ace — at 121 mph, no less Next for the 37-year-old don. Svitolina will make her afternoon, just as she did against amateurs — but
— Williams reached the Williams will be a match debut in that round at any while going 14-1 on grass in lost in the finals at Wimble-
semifinals at the All Eng- against 54th-ranked Bar- major tournament thanks 2019 until Tuesday. don and the U.S. Open.
land Club by gutting out a bora Strycova of the Czech to beating Karolina Mucho- She won two of Williams’ Williams dealt with injuries
6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over 55th- Republic, who reached her va of the Czech Republic first four service games and and illness this year, play-
ranked Alison Riske. first Grand Slam semifinal at 7-5, 6-4. finished 5 for 5 on break ing just 12 matches until last
“I had to just button up and age 33 with a 7-6 (5), 6-1 These sorts of stakes, and points. Her deep and flat week.
play hard,” said Williams, victory over No. 19 Johan- this sort of setting, are un- groundstrokes off both sides “This is the first time since
who owns seven Wimble- na Konta of Britain. familiar for Riske, who mis- jarred Williams repeatedly. (January) that I actually
don titles. “She was playing “A huge achievement for takenly headed to her Until, that is, Riske wilted felt, like, good,” she said
her heart out.” me,” said Strycova, who is changeover chair thinking late — which was under- at her news conference,
That she was. Riske, a playing in her 53rd major the match’s fifth game was standable, given that she while Olympia was held by
29-year-old from Pittsburgh, tournament. over when the score was became the first woman in Williams’ agent at the back
was appearing in her first The other semifinal Thursday just 40-15. Wimbledon history to play of the room. “It’s been a re-
major quarterfinal. For Wil- will be No. 7 Simona Halep Spectators chortled; she three-setters in five consec- ally, really long year for me
liams, this was No. 51. of Romania against No. 8 grinned and walked back utive matches to open the already, and hard year.”q