Internet Desk: Serena Williams bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam dashed as the top seed crashed out of the US Open. Serena was upset by Czech Karolina Pliskova who made her first US Open final. 10th seed Pliskova, playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final, triumphed 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) and will face Angelique Kerber, who replaced Serena at the top of the new world rankings are released on Monday.
Serena’s hopes of a 23rd Grand Slam title and a seventh US Open title dashed on Thursday night. It would have been a record in Open era. Serena’s loss also brought an end to her reign at the top of WTA rankings for 187 weeks. Williams was in some discomfort as she was seen clutching her left hamstring occasionally in the second set, which disturbed her game.
A year ago, Williams’ bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam ended when she lost in the U.S. Open semifinals to unseeded Roberta Vinci of Italy.
In another semi final Angelique Kerber earned her first career No. 1 ranking before she even stepped on court Thursday with Serena Williams’ loss in the first semifinal. Then Kerber went out and looked like a top-ranked player, winning the first four games en route to a 6-4, 6-3 victory.
The German lefty will face Karolina Pliskova on Saturday in a rematch of the final at Cincinnati nearly three weeks earlier. Kerber would have taken over the No. 1 ranking then had she won that day, but Pliskova instead captured a breakthrough title and has ridden that momentum since.
Kerber had never made a Grand Slam final at the start of this year. Then she not only advanced that far but won the title at the Australian Open, beating Williams in the championship match. She followed that up with a run to the Wimbledon final, where she lost to Williams.
Wozniacki is a two-time runner-up at Flushing Meadows, but she arrived at this year’s tournament at No. 74 in the world after missing 2½ months because of an ankle injury. She was seeking to become the lowest-ranked women’s finalist at the U.S. Open, other than an unranked Kim Clijsters in 2009.
But the searchlight was on Pliskova who made her first Grand Slam final. The 6ft1inch tall Czech was over the moon on causing an upset win over Serena.
“I don’t believe it,” said Pliskova, who had never made it past the third round of a Grand Slam in 17 prior attempts.
“I knew I had the chance to beat anyone if I played my game. I am excited to be in the final and to beat Serena as she is such a great champion.
“Even when she was down a set and break she was still fighting. I had to fight hard to win.”
Williams said she had been hampered by a sore left knee since earlier in the tournament. Although it was a distraction, she said Pliskova earned her victory.
“Karolina played great today. I think if she had played any less then maybe I would have had a chance,” said Williams, who with one more Grand Slam title will move out of a tie with Steffi Graf for most in the Open Era.