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Aug. 31 (UPI) — Serena Williams defeated Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday night time to advance to the second spherical of the U.S. Open.
Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion who entered the event unseeded, defeated Kontaveit, the No. 2 seed out of Estonia, 2 units to 1 in what Williams has mentioned can be her closing event earlier than she plans to “transfer on” from tennis.
“I am a fairly good participant,” Williams mentioned within the post-game interview after she was requested how she gained. “That is what I do finest. I really like a problem, I really like rising to the problem.”
Williams gained the primary set, 7-6, as she drilled an ace that despatched the group bursting into cheers to win a 7-4 tiebreak.
She relied on her highly effective serve, racking up 5 aces and going through just one break level within the first 4 service video games.
Kontaveit then broke Williams on a double fault to tie the set at 5-5.
Within the second set, Kontaveit stormed again to leap out to a 3-0 lead, together with a comeback after Williams held a 40-0 lead within the third sport.
Williams’ serve continued to be a powerful level, as she delivered 10 aces, but additionally got here again to chunk her as a double fault left her down 4-1.
In the end, Kontaveit breezed to a 6-2 win.
Williams gained the ultimate set 6-2 as she reduce down on errors that plagued her within the first two units and jumped out to a 3-1 lead.
She was then in a position to capitalize on a 40-0 lead, after her earlier blunder to go up 4-1 earlier than closing out the set.
Williams’ event run started Monday when she beat Danka Kovinic in straight units.
Each matches had been characterised by crowds of followers, together with celebrities, loudly cheering on Williams with the chair umpire interrupting the cheers on Wednesday night time.
“Please, women and gents,” she mentioned whereas trying to calm the group.
Professional golfer Tiger Woods joined Williams’ sister, Venus, in her participant field and pumped his fist in celebration of her first set win.
The Williams sisters will start their doubles run on Thursday, enjoying collectively for the primary time since Wimbledon in 2016.
Following Wednesday’s victory, Williams will face off in opposition to Aja Tomljanovic of Australia within the subsequent spherical afer she defeated Evgeniya Rodina of Russia in three units. Williams and Tomljanovic have by no means performed earlier than.