The US Open is his tournament.
Serena Williams won the first of her 23 Grand Slam crowns there in 1999.
Crowned six times in New York, the American has often been there at the party.
In 2015, her calendar Grand Slam challenge (forgotten since Steffi Graf in 1988) had turned the tournament around her.
Reservations for the women's tournament were, for the first time, gone faster than those for the men's tournament.
The climb up the stairs was moving, trying and Serena Williams had to, to everyone's surprise, bow in the semi-finals against the Italian Roberta Vinci.
Serena Williams would no longer win the US Open (unfortunate finalist in 2018 and 2019).
To discover
US Open: men's schedule
US Open: ladies' schedule
The US Open is his tournament.
More than ever.
New York only has eyes for her.
The show put on to accompany the appearance of the legend (40 years old; 605th player in the world) will remain in the annals of the tournament.
29,402 fans showed up to see her play.
It was the biggest attendance ever for an evening session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, according to the tournament website.
A figure which, combined with the record of 41,930 fans for the opening day session, made it possible to establish the second highest attendance in one day in the history of the US Open: a total of 71,332 people.
Victorious 6-4, 6-4 of the Montenegrin Danka Kovinic (80th in the world) and her emotions, Serena Williams prolonged (a little) the magic.
“
I can't wait (to face him).
I really wanted her to win because I never faced her.
And this is my last chance.
Better late than never.
I think it will be a match like I haven't played much this year, without any pressure.
I can just enjoy the moment and play the best I can.
She hits the ball very hard and she has a great hand that allows her to put it where she wants.
I will have to be ready to receive these very strong balls, in particular in the service
”, summarized the Estonian Anett Kontaveit (26 years old; seeded n ° 2).
New York is ready for a wild night.
Serena Williams loves these unique atmospheres that make the temples beat and the palms of spectators blush in a trance.
She has often mastered the tempo, set the scenario.
She knows that the time to enjoy it is counted.
She wants to take advantage of it.
New York and the tennis world with her.
Without looking too far and without worrying about the one who, once the racket is put away, will remain a woman of influence.
Howard Bryant writes in ESPN:
A professional for nearly 30 years, Williams represents the individual as a dynasty, spanning six presidents, playing in games over four decades.
For her fans who were there from the start, her time, from braces to baby, and age creates nostalgia and thoughtfulness for her and for themselves.
Her sponsors (remember Serena, the Puma years), the kits (the jumpsuits, Puma 2002 and Nike 2018) and the looks (pearls, blonde) remind her followers not only of Serena's rivalries (Hingis, Hingis, Hingis! ) and their victories (lifetime 1-2 start against Sharapova, end 20-2), but also where they were in their individual lives at the time, who they were as people and what they would become in the future. over the next quarter century.
Like a living calendar,
she has been their constant (…) At this point in a professional athlete's career, the end never ceases to be an end as the chapter of tennis remains.
For Serena, who is already energetically jumping into the world of venture capitalism, fashion, business and expanding her family, this is not the end.
She is at the beginning.
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