Serena Williams isn’t done yet.
The all-time great announced in a Vogue profile that she was ending her tennis career. She did not give a formal date, though she hinted (and has since more clearly hinted) that it will be at the end of this US Open. In fact, in the article, she said how cool it would be to win the Major and walk off. Well, she just got one step closer as she took out the #2 seed in the tournament.
Serena Williams vs Anett Kontaveit
Unlike in her first-round match, where she started slow before picking things up, the American was locked in from the outside. Her serve was precise, which always gives Williams a massive advantage. Of course, Kontaveit is ranked #2 in the world for a reason, and Williams–at the age of 40–is no longer the dominant force she once was, so we were in for a great match.
As the match developed, three things became clear: First, the Williams serve was on point. Second, Williams couldn’t quite keep up with the Estonian as rallies went longer (there is a 14-year age difference). Lastly, Williams just had far more power from the baseline. The match quickly turned into a battle between Williams’ power and Kontaveit’s precision, and as the first set wore on it looked more and more like Williams’ power would win.
With huge and deep returns, Williams got deep into Kontaveit’s service games. The seventh game of the match went to deuce seven times, but Kontaveit saved every break point opportunity with crafty and precise play. The ninth game didn’t require deuce, but Williams finally got the break by hitting Kontaveit off the court. She couldn’t serve it out, though, and the set went to a tiebreak.
The tiebreak proceeded the same as the set: Kontaveit’s court prowess vs Williams’ power, and power won out in the end. Williams picked up a minibreak to get to 5-3, and then boomed two huge serves to take the tiebreak.
Second and Third Sets
Many were worried about how competitive Williams could be in this tournament. After all, in her tune-up matches since announcing the upcoming retirement, she looked terrible. Her movement was poor and her timing was worse. That was not an issue in this match, but it was an issue that Kontaveit is younger than her, moved better, and kept pushing the ball around the court in ways Williams couldn’t handle. The Estonian cruised to a 62 victory in the second set, and we were headed towards a decider.
Williams came out firing in the third set, booming huge serves. After a hold, another marathon return game ensued. Unlike in the first set, Williams earned the break with huge returns and strong baseline play. Kontaveit seemed content to hang with Williams from the baseline; perhaps the lack of exploiting her opponent’s weaker movement cost her.
After being dulled in the second set, the crowd came alive, cheering every single point from Williams. The American built a 40-0 lead in the next game with huge serves, but squandered it with some poor shotmaking. Kontaveit broke back, but Williams responded immediately. The all-time great broke again, and the next game held from 40-0. The Estonian fought hard, but she never really had a chance. Williams fought through with big serves and gutsy groundstrokes, including a stunning defensive lob, for two win the next game. Kontaveit fell apart in her final service game, giving the American a 76(4) 26 62 victory.
People might begin to wonder, at this point, just how far Williams can go. Can she walk off a champion, as she said she dreamed to do? That’s a discussion for another day. For now, the point is clear that even at 40 years old and on the brink of retirement, Serena Williams can still beat the absolute best in the world.
Main Photo from Getty.
