Published on: 01/09/2022 – 12:08 Serena Williams qualified for the third round of the US Open on Wednesday by beating Estonian Anett Kontaveit. His rise to power bodes well for what should be his last tournament. Serena Williams has promised: she does not particularly want to win a 24th Grand Slam title for her farewell to the US Open. However, her convincing victories in the first two rounds, her growing power and her rage to win make her start to scare all her opponents again. “One more time!” Daft Punk’s hit resonated loudly in the Arthur-Ashe court speakers, to accompany the triumphant exit of the 40-year-old American on Wednesday, after her stunning victory at the expense of world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit 7-6 (7 /4), 2-6, 6-2. The famous refrain also has the merit of announcing her return, scheduled for Friday against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic (46th), who, like all the other players still in contention, must wondering how to manage this situation where all the pressure supposed to rest on the legend of their sport ends up falling on the shoulders of his opponents.>> Read also on France 24: Serena Williams close to retirement, the end of a career extraordinary and committedAfter Danka Kovinic (80th) admittedly a little tender on Monday – and probably intimidated by the event which included a very premature tribute ceremony to the “greatest player of all time” – Kontaveit had for her the experience and the strike force necessary to contain Willia ms, appeared in recent weeks very far, physically and in terms of the game, from the level that allowed her to reign so many years in the world of tennis.”She is a threat now””I haven’t played a lot of matches [ces derniers mois], but I trained well,” Serena explained. “Not everything was falling into place. I said to myself ‘But, that’s not me!’ And then these two meetings, here in New York, it actually took place.” – Journalist: Were you surprised?
– Serena Williams: What?
– Journalist: Did you surprise yourself?
(Ironic laughter)
– Serena Williams: I’m just Serena.— Quentin Moynet (@QuentinMoynet) September 1, 2022 And after a big fight during which the two players went blow for blow, the Estonian ended up breaking down against the lioness Serena, roaring as in her finest hours – under the amazed eyes of the “Tiger”, Tiger Woods, for whom it was “a privilege to witness excellence”, according to his Tweet. Her last dance, the youngest of the Williams sisters, which definitely prolongs the pleasure since she will return to the center on Thursday too, with her eldest Venus for a doubles match, begins to give her terribly frenzied tricks. To the immoderate joy of the public New Yorkers, logically all committed to his cause and dreaming of seeing history written before his eyes, in defiance of the near-impossible, surprise is now combined, not sparing game specialists, even if the former Champion Chris Evert warned: “Don’t underestimate her.” “I’m amazed,” said Eurosport consultant Mats Wilander, who believes in Williams’ ability to win a seventh US Open. “When she does, of course she can, because it’s Serena and she hits the ball so well. Her mobility is much better than I ever imagined and her serve is coming back. She’s a threat now.” “I’m just Serena” “I think there’s more to come. She too believes there’s more to come. That’s how you win twenty-three Slams , I guess. She internalizes the problem in front of her and uses the crowd. She has that tiger eye. It’s amazing. She becomes Serena,” the former Swedish player added. “I’m just Serena,” replied the interested party, with a mischievous smile in support, to the question of whether she was surprised to play so well: “I am a good player”. “I am surprised that she can hold on , but we’ve seen her do it in Grand Slam tournaments, having played a few matches. She wins one, then two, then it completely reverses… And she becomes one of the favorites,” said Wilander. All in one particular context: her retirement announced without however having said when or where it would be recorded, and which, instead of paralyzing her, seems to make her stronger. And therefore very dangerous: “I consider all this as a bonus. I have nothing to prove. I have absolutely nothing to lose.” With AFP