Serena Williams News: Grand Slam Pursuit Continues in Friday’s U.S. Open Semifinal
Serena Williams had her march towards history halted on Thursday, when her U.S. Open Semifinal match-up against Italy’s Roberta Vinci was moved to Friday due to a rain delay.
Williams, the tournament’s No. 1 seed, was originally scheduled to take the course for her semifinal at 7:00 p.m. Thursday. The schedule was adjusted earlier in the day, according to ESPN, when doubles and juniors matches were taking place.
The scheduling creates one more obstacle in Serena’s historic 2015 march towards a Grand Slam. If she gets past Vinci on Friday, her championship final will take place on Saturday, as scheduled.
ESPN tennis analyst and retired tennis professional Pam Shriver commented on the mindset Williams needs have when dealing with the schedule adjustment.
“As a player, you just have to think there’s nothing I can do about it, just go with it, take what’s given to me and it’s a chance to rest, pause and get away for an extra day from the craziness of the US Open and embrace it.”
Serena Williams, who will turn 34-years-old later this month, has dropped two sets in her first five matches in the 2015 U.S. Open. One of those sets was to her older sister, Venus, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Serena is highly focused as she nears the end of her U.S Open campaign, including her honest approach to reporter questions after her quarterfinal win on Wednesday.
“It’s 11:30. To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t want to be here. (Laughter.) I just want to be in bed right now. I have to wake up early to practice. “
Serena is on course to be the first woman to complete a tennis Grand Slam since 1988, when Steffi Graff completed the same feat. She already captured championships in the 2015 renditions of the Australian Open (January), French Open (May/June), and Wimbledon (June/July).
A victory in the U.S. Open will make Williams just the fourth woman to ever complete a Grand Slam, behind Graff, Margaret Court (1970) and Maureen Connolly (1953). Serena would be the second American, along with Connolly, to complete the Slam.
Serena Williams’ match with Italy’s Roberta Vinci takes place at today and will be broadcast on ESPN.
[Phot Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images]
