Serena Beats No. 2 Kontaveit At Us Open To Reach 3Rd Rd

If he keeps playing like this, who knows how long this goodbye will last? Regardless of what happens when her trip to Flushing Meadows ends, here’s what’s important to know after Wednesday night: The 40-year-old Williams is still around, she’s still capable of amazing tennis, she’s still winning — and, like, adoring spectators whose roars once again filled Arthur Ashe Stadium — she’s ready for more. Williams eliminated No. 2 Annette Condaveit 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 in the second round of the US Open to ensure she will play at least one more singles match in what she said would be her final tournament her illustrious career. “There’s still a little bit left in me,” Williams said with a smile during her on-court interview, then acknowledged during the post-match press conference: “These moments are clearly fleeting.” After beating 80th-ranked Danka Kovinic in straight sets on Monday, then earning her 23rd win in her last 25 matches against a No. 1 or 2 against Kontaveit on Wednesday, the six-time champion at Flushing Meadows will play Friday for a spot in the fourth round. Her opponent will be Ajla Tomljanovic, a 29-year-old Australian ranked 46th. They’ve never met, but Tomljanovic, who said she considers herself a fan of Williams, believes she knows what to expect from the American — and from those in the seats. “I’ve been playing on Court 7 in both of my matches so far at the same time as her and I could hear the crowd. I say, “Court 7 isn’t that close.” I kept thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is bothering me and I’m not even playing against her,’” Tomljanovic said. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it.” Making Williams’ potential path possibly simpler if she can get past Tomljanovic: 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez and 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova both lost. On Wednesday, Williams hit serves as fast as 119 mph, stayed with Kontaveit during lengthy exchanges of long swings from the baselines and captured some of her trademark brilliance when she needed it most. After taking a tight first set, then faltering in the second, Williams headed to the locker room for a bathroom break before the third. Something had to give, someone had to blink. When they resumed, it was Williams who raised her level and emerged as the better player. As he has done so many times, in so many scenes, with so much at stake. “I’m just Serena. After I lost the second set, I thought, ‘Oh my God, I better play my best because this could be it,’” Williams said, surely echoing the thoughts of everyone paying attention. “I’ve never been able to play like this — since ’98, really,” he said. “Literally, I’ve had an ‘X’ on my back since ’99, the year she won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open at age 17. Any rust that accumulated when Williams missed about a year of action before returning to the tour in late June appears to be gone. He was 1-3 in 2022 entering the US Open. “It’s kind of coming together now,” Williams said. “I mean, he had to concentrate today.” Williams also has doubles to play. She and her sister, Venus, have won 14 major championships as a team and will begin this event Thursday night. Kontaveit, a 26-year-old from Estonia, is a powerhouse in her own right, the kind that has swept women’s tennis over the past two decades after a pair of sisters from Compton, Calif., changed the game. But there is a caveat attached to Kontaveit’s ranking: She has never won as much as a quarterfinal match at any Grand Slam tournament in 30 career appearances. Perhaps that’s why, as with Kovinic 48 hours earlier, her Williams opponent was introduced only by her first name and Kodaveit walked away to a standing ovation. Williams, by contrast, received the full treatment: video highlights, a list of her many accolades and a standing ovation from people who attended the largest US Open night-session attendance ever, 29,959, eclipsing the record set by on Monday. “It was her moment,” said Kontaveit, who broke down in tears during the Estonian portion of her press conference. “Of course, that’s all about her.” As tough an athlete as tennis, or any sport, has seen, as confident in her abilities as any athlete, Williams wasn’t ready to think of this whole exercise as just a celebration of her career. He came to New York wanting to win, of course. Wearing the same sparkling crystal top and diamond-toned sneakers — replete with solid gold laces and the word “Queen” on the right, “Mama” on the left — that she wore on Monday, Williams was ready for prime time. The match started with Kontaveit taking the first five points, Williams the next. And they went, back and forth. Kontaveit’s mistakes were cheered – even errors, prompting an admonition to the crowd from chair umpire Alison Hughes about the noise between serves. Early in the third set, Kontaveit hit a cross-court forehand that caught the far end of a sideline. A video on the stadium screens showed how close it was, confirming that the ball did indeed land. This drew boos from the stands. Williams raised her hand and wagged her finger, telling her supporters not to cause a ruckus. If anything, Kontaveit got more recognition from the player trying to beat her than anyone else, as Williams responded to great shots with a nod or a racket clap. “They weren’t rooting against me. They just wanted Serena to win so bad,” Kontaveit said, calling the treatment she received “fair,” even if it was “something I’ve never experienced before.” Williams broke 5-4 when Kontaveit pushed a backhand away, prompting cheering spectators to their feet – and Williams’ husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, immediately jumped in, waving his arms in her direction. ahead of where Venus and Tiger Woods were two places apart. Eventually they went to a tiebreak, and at 3-3, a chant of “Let’s go, Serena!” he broke out, accompanied by rhythmic clapping. Williams soon delivered a 101 mph service winner and a 91 mph ace to seal that set. To Kontaveit’s credit, she went 3-0 up in the second with 10 winners and zero errors. In the third, after a swinging volley winner put Williams one game away from victory, she raised both hands and then clenched her left fist. One game, and five minutes later, it was over – and her stay at the US Open could continue. Asked if she is a title contender, Williams replied: “I can’t think that far. I’m having fun and enjoying it.”

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title: “Serena Beats No. 2 Kontaveit At Us Open To Reach 3Rd Rd Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-28” author: “Vivian Partridge”

If he keeps playing like this, who knows how long this goodbye will last? Regardless of what happens when her trip to Flushing Meadows ends, here’s what’s important to know after Wednesday night: The 40-year-old Williams is still around, she’s still capable of amazing tennis, she’s still winning — and, like, adoring spectators whose roars once again filled Arthur Ashe Stadium — she’s ready for more. Williams eliminated No. 2 Annette Condaveit 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 in the second round of the US Open to ensure she will play at least one more singles match in what she said would be her final tournament her illustrious career. “There’s still a little bit left in me,” Williams said with a smile during her on-court interview, then acknowledged during the post-match press conference: “These moments are clearly fleeting.” After beating 80th-ranked Danka Kovinic in straight sets on Monday, then earning her 23rd win in her last 25 matches against a No. 1 or 2 against Kontaveit on Wednesday, the six-time champion at Flushing Meadows will play Friday for a spot in the fourth round. Her opponent will be Ajla Tomljanovic, a 29-year-old Australian ranked 46th. They’ve never met, but Tomljanovic, who said she considers herself a fan of Williams, believes she knows what to expect from the American — and from those in the seats. “I’ve been playing on Court 7 in both of my matches so far at the same time as her and I could hear the crowd. I say, “Court 7 isn’t that close.” I kept thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is bothering me and I’m not even playing against her,’” Tomljanovic said. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it.” Making Williams’ potential path possibly simpler if she can get past Tomljanovic: 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez and 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova both lost. On Wednesday, Williams hit serves as fast as 119 mph, stayed with Kontaveit during lengthy exchanges of long swings from the baselines and captured some of her trademark brilliance when she needed it most. After taking a tight first set, then faltering in the second, Williams headed to the locker room for a bathroom break before the third. Something had to give, someone had to blink. When they resumed, it was Williams who raised her level and emerged as the better player. As he has done so many times, in so many scenes, with so much at stake. “I’m just Serena. After I lost the second set, I thought, ‘Oh my God, I better play my best because this could be it,’” Williams said, surely echoing the thoughts of everyone paying attention. “I’ve never been able to play like this — since ’98, really,” he said. “Literally, I’ve had an ‘X’ on my back since ’99, the year she won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open at age 17. Any rust that accumulated when Williams missed about a year of action before returning to the tour in late June appears to be gone. He was 1-3 in 2022 entering the US Open. “It’s kind of coming together now,” Williams said. “I mean, he had to concentrate today.” Williams also has doubles to play. She and her sister, Venus, have won 14 major championships as a team and will begin this event Thursday night. Kontaveit, a 26-year-old from Estonia, is a powerhouse in her own right, the kind that has swept women’s tennis over the past two decades after a pair of sisters from Compton, Calif., changed the game. But there is a caveat attached to Kontaveit’s ranking: She has never won as much as a quarterfinal match at any Grand Slam tournament in 30 career appearances. Perhaps that’s why, as with Kovinic 48 hours earlier, her Williams opponent was introduced only by her first name and Kodaveit walked away to a standing ovation. Williams, by contrast, received the full treatment: video highlights, a list of her many accolades and a standing ovation from people who attended the largest US Open night-session attendance ever, 29,959, eclipsing the record set by on Monday. “It was her moment,” said Kontaveit, who broke down in tears during the Estonian portion of her press conference. “Of course, that’s all about her.” As tough an athlete as tennis, or any sport, has seen, as confident in her abilities as any athlete, Williams wasn’t ready to think of this whole exercise as just a celebration of her career. He came to New York wanting to win, of course. Wearing the same sparkling crystal top and diamond-toned sneakers — replete with solid gold laces and the word “Queen” on the right, “Mama” on the left — that she wore on Monday, Williams was ready for prime time. The match started with Kontaveit taking the first five points, Williams the next. And they went, back and forth. Kontaveit’s mistakes were cheered – even errors, prompting an admonition to the crowd from chair umpire Alison Hughes about the noise between serves. Early in the third set, Kontaveit hit a cross-court forehand that caught the far end of a sideline. A video on the stadium screens showed how close it was, confirming that the ball did indeed land. This drew boos from the stands. Williams raised her hand and wagged her finger, telling her supporters not to cause a ruckus. If anything, Kontaveit got more recognition from the player trying to beat her than anyone else, as Williams responded to great shots with a nod or a racket clap. “They weren’t rooting against me. They just wanted Serena to win so bad,” Kontaveit said, calling the treatment she received “fair,” even if it was “something I’ve never experienced before.” Williams broke 5-4 when Kontaveit pushed a backhand away, prompting cheering spectators to their feet – and Williams’ husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, immediately jumped in, waving his arms in her direction. ahead of where Venus and Tiger Woods were two places apart. Eventually they went to a tiebreak, and at 3-3, a chant of “Let’s go, Serena!” he broke out, accompanied by rhythmic clapping. Williams soon delivered a 101 mph service winner and a 91 mph ace to seal that set. To Kontaveit’s credit, she went 3-0 up in the second with 10 winners and zero errors. In the third, after a swinging volley winner put Williams one game away from victory, she raised both hands and then clenched her left fist. One game, and five minutes later, it was over – and her stay at the US Open could continue. Asked if she is a title contender, Williams replied: “I can’t think that far. I’m having fun and enjoying it.”

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