World No.1, Serena Williams of the United States beat in-form Dutch girl, Kiki Berken in two straight sets, 7-6, 6-4 to find herself again on the threshold of making history by equaling Steffi Graf’s career record of 22 Gland Slam titles.
Serena, winner of 21, bitterly missed on two last occasions of equaling the record, with the shock defeat at US Open against the Italian, Roberto Vinci whom she had dominated in Tennis all through her career, being more bitter.
She was magnanimous in defeat when she later told the press: ”We should be happy for each other, you know what I mean? We gotta build up each other. We can’t be angry.
”I mean, I won four Grand Slam (tournaments) in a row, and got to the semis in another one, and I’ve done that twice. I mean how many people have done that? So, yeah, it wasn’t a loss for me, it was a win and a learning experience. And I tried hard. Unfortunately the girl I played just outplayed me that day, you know … She probably deserved it. And I am happy for her.”
Serena although had another chance of putting things in right places at the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Australian Open. But again she was stunned by German star, Angelique Kerber in three straights. Once more Williams responded by saying that she was not a robot but human.
A nervous Serena narrowly escaped defeat at the quarter finals yesterday at the hands of fellow American, Yulai Putintseva. However, she rallied by winning eight of the last nine games to show her the way out of Paris.
Again today, Willims definitely under the record-pressure, trailed 3-5 the first set, but broke back to wrap it up 7-6 in a dramatic tie-break.
Williams also started badly in the second set, when she allowed a 0-3 to slip by and conceded thereafter a break to trail again 0-2. However, the experienced world number1 broke back immediately and then went on to dictate business and crushed Bertens ambition of reaching her first Grand Slam final.
Williams plays the finals tomorrow against Spanish hard server, Garbine Muguruza, who beat the Australian, Samantha Stosur also in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.
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