By Yesh Ginsburg (Senior Editor), Last Word on Tennis.
For the second straight year, Serena Williams has been shockingly upset in the US Open semifinals. Last year, she was taken out by a masterclass performance by Italian Roberta Vinci. This year, it was the Czech phenom Karolina Pliskova who got the better of the current World #1.
Pliskova is the biggest server on tour. She is the one player who might consistently hit the ball harder than Serena. Of course, there is a reason that Pliskova is not up at World #1 like Williams is. In fact, until Cincinnati a few weeks ago, Pliskova had never won a Premier-level title. This US Open is Pliskova’s first-ever trip to the second week of a Slam. In short, she might have the biggest serve, but she has never had the consistency or the all-around game to really make a splash at big tournaments. Until now.
Serena Williams Shocked for Second Straight Year in US Open Semifinal; Will Lose #1 Ranking
The match started out with an easy hold for Williams, and it looked like Pliskova might have been overawed by the occasion. Some big serves helped the Czech earn her first hold, and after that she controlled the match. Pliskova was swinging free on her return of serve and a few unanswerable returns earned an early break in the first set for 2-1. After that, it was all about the huge serve.
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