Like in her best moments: Serena Williams eliminates world No. 2 from the US Open and refuses to retire

Arthur Ashe has prepared for a special day. As not many times in her career, Serena Williams was not a favorite, and it was thought that Wednesday’s duel could be the last; farewell to a legend The challenge was not easy for the winner of 23 Grand Slam tournaments. After comfortably dominating Danka Kovinić with a 6-3 double in the first round of the US Open, she was due to face Anett Kontaveit, world number 2, on Wednesday.

In a tight first set, Serena took a small lead and served 5-4. However, Kontaveit reacted and forced the tiebreaker, an event in which the American brought out her experience and won 7-4, to close the first set with a 7-6 in one hour and five minutes.

But the 26-year-old Estonian had something to say on the New York night. With a furious start to the second set, they took a 3-0 lead. Williams tried to react, but the wear and tear of the first set had its effect and the current number 2 won without too many setbacks 6-2.

After taking a short break, Serena came out to play the third set. He needed to renew his energy and let go of what happened moments ago when the audience was gripped with angst that this might be the last set of a set. historical. But things started well for the Michigan native, as she took a 2-0 lead at the start, which she managed well throughout the inning until the close with a solid 6-2.

In this way, Williams, as in her best times, eliminated Anett Kontaveit by partials of 7-6, 2-6 and 6-2. Thus, she is installed in the third round of the fourth Grand Slam of the year, an instance in which she will face the Croato-Australian Ajla Tomljanović, on Friday, September 2.