Serena has decided that her strongest interest in life is not tennis and that she will ‘evolve’ out of the sport. But while calling the last ‘hooray’ at the Open, she has continued to amaze, surprise and put on a performance that probably even herself didn’t know she could do.
Crowds or the tennis masses did mingle into the Ashe Stadium to see Serena’s performance. No one would ever summarize what the result would be on this humid, muggy night in Ashe of the possible deciding match to end Serena’s singles career.
“It’s not over till the fat lady sings”, is a popular slogan really meaning to wait and see what develops. Serena brought her best game as she could muster up against an 80th ranked Danika Kovinic from Montenegro.
She’s got 12 touring years and is 10 years Serena’s junior; but when you’re the icon who’s trying to stay on the groove and put up a good performance, it can be a bit too challenging. Serena’s straight set win over Danika gave great confidence that the magic is still there.
Venus went forth with her first round match, not with the same result. She faced Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck, another 12 year WTA player, had elevated her gameplay to be a threat to the iconic Venus Williams. A bit scary probably for both, not knowing how things would turn out.
This was Venus and Alison’s first meet, a high pressured match where Van Uytvanck sliced and spinned her shots keeping her strategy working to produced a 6-1 opening set win. Venus didnt let her go ahead easy and fought pulling out her best to move games to a tiebreak.
It was a tough and tight decider that had Venus moving her opponent all over the court, but there wasn’t any give. Alison made her hit that one last ball that presented a difficult compromise in winning any point. At the end the Belgian won the tiebreak by a few points, putting a finish to Venus’ singles run at the Open.
Kudos was given to Uytvanck by Venus as she admitted “I think this is some of the best tennis she’s ever played.” It must have been a wonder though if the elder Williams’ sister felt overwhelmed out there.
She confessed with saying that “I was still finding my space. This is my first major in over a year…Really kind of unlucky in the tiebreaker…” Venus is dealing with whatever competitor she gets in the draw but says she was “truely unlucky.
I couldn’t do anything about those shots.” Well, Serena gets another chance at singles and Venus will see what she can do with her sister, in doubles a few days from now. Venus laughingly admitted that when they play doubles, “I just want to hold my side of the court up and be a good sister.”
