Serena Williams retires on hold after beating world number two

NEW YORK, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Serena Williams, playing more like a world number one than a player outside the top 600, turned back the clock on Wednesday to stun world number two Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (4) 2-6 6 -2 and into the third round of the US Open, putting his retirement plans on hold.

Defeat has always been hard for the fiercely competitive Williams to swallow, and the 40-year-old American’s relentless will to win was on full display during an absorbing two-hour-and-27-minute contest of unexpectedly high quality, intensity breathless and drama.

Williams had signaled her intention to retire earlier this month, saying she was “evolving away from tennis”, but never confirmed the US Open as her final event.

Any bye has been put on hold with Williams returning to Center Court on Thursday for a doubles match with older sister Venus, followed by a third-round clash on Friday with Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, who was a 1-6 6-2 7-5. winner over Russian Evgeniya Rodina.

“I’m a pretty good player,” Williams said with a sly smile when asked how she defeated the world number two. “That’s what I do best: I love a challenge, I love taking on a challenge.”

“The last couple of games here in New York has really come together.

“I’m super competitive, honestly, I just see that as an advantage.

“I have absolutely nothing to prove.”

With 23 Grand Slam titles and widely regarded as the greatest women’s player of all time, Williams has done it all on the tennis court.

But after two wins, the previously unthinkable dream of a Hollywood finish to Williams’ career – clinching a 24th major to move level with Margaret Court at the top of the all-time list – could be on the cards.

Asked if she was beginning to believe she could win a seventh US Open, Williams demurred, insisting she was still taking it one match at a time, but said things were “coming together”.

“I can’t think that far ahead,” Williams said. I’m here, I’m having fun and I’m enjoying it.

Tennis – US Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – August 31, 2022 Serena Williams of the US acknowledges the crowd after winning her second round match against Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit REUTERS/Mike Segar

“I’m playing pretty well.

“I feel like I’ve been practicing really well, but it hasn’t been coming together in the games.

“But, you know, it’s coming together now.”

A former world number one for 319 weeks, Williams arrived in New York ranked below 600, unseeded and with just one match win in three events at the final Grand Slam of the season.

It had been more than a year, at the 2021 French Open, since Williams last posted back-to-back wins. She faced a daunting challenge from the 26-year-old Kontaveit, a player whose game was built for hard court and who won five of her six career titles on the surface.

With none of the pre-match festivities that took place before her first-round match against Danka Kovinic to distract her, Williams took to the court with a game face on. He delivered a performance that drew a record crowd of 29,959 at Arthur Ash Stadium, including sports greats Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn.

“I knew it was coming,” Kontaveit said. “It was something I had never experienced before.

“I think they weren’t rooting like they were against me. They just wanted Serena to win so much.

“So I don’t think it’s a personal attack on me or anything.”

Williams claimed the first break in a thrilling opening set to go 5-4 ahead only for Kontaveit to break immediately to secure a tiebreak.

The tiebreaker was no less fascinating, Williams making it 7-4 in classic fashion with a thunderous ace.

But the Estonian would not be intimidated by Williams or a frothing crowd, grabbing two early breaks in the second set to jump 3-0 ahead en route to a tie.

After two sold-out sets, the New York crowd, as it had done so many times over the years, provided the fuel to lift Williams in the third as she charged to a 4-1 lead and never let go.

Reporting by Steve Keating in New York, additional reporting by Amy Tennery and Rory Carroll, editing by Richard Pullin

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