Resurgent Venus oldest US Open semifinalist at 37
Venus Williams pondered 20 years of success and setbacks since reaching her first US Open final on Tuesday after moving one victory shy of another New York hardcourts championship match.
The 37-year-old American, seeking her eighth Grand Slam title and third US Open crown, outlasted Czech 13th seed and two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2).
Williams became the oldest US Open semi-finalist at 37 and the oldest in any Slam since Martina Navratilova in 1994 at Wimbledon.
Williams is set to jump into the WTA rankings top five for the first time since January 2011, her highest point since she was diagnosed with Sjogren’s Syndrome, a strength-sapping ailment.
If she beats Sloane Stephens on Thursday to reach Saturday’s final, Australian Open and Wimbledon runner-up Williams will reach her third Slam final of the year.
“Early 2000s, I mean, I had perfect health. It was great. I loved it,” Williams said. “I was fortunate to have that moment in my life. And now I’m still living my dream, and it’s amazing.”
Williams won Wimbledon and the US Open in 2000 and 2001 and took three more trophies on England grass before 2011 and Sjogren’s arrived. It took her five years before she managed to reach another Slam semi-final.
“I don’t accept limitations. So it took a while to accept some limitations,” Williams said. “But it doesn’t mean that the glass is half empty. I saw it as half full.
“Whatever I had, I had to do the best I could with that and to be the strongest I could and be reprehensible for each and every shot I hit.” Venus Williams-Petra Kvitova duel is the fiercest rivalry in women’s tennis these days. It was proven again as the game went into three sets for the sixth time. A look at their duels won at the 2017 US Open (QF)
won at 2012 Miami Masters (R64) won at 2008 Memphis (R32)
won at 2013 Tokyo (SFs) won through Walkover in 2014 Beijing (R16)
Williams pondered how many WTA players have had to overcome setbacks and return to champion form and the inspiration it can provide.
“Sport is a little microcosm of life and it shows the human spirit, just being out there on the court, fighting against all odds. If you’re down, you keep going,” Williams said.
“Great champions came back from injuries or circumstances they could never have planned for. It’s very encouraging for won at 2014 Wimbledon (R32)
won at 2014 Doha (R32) people to watch... You never know whose life you’ll touch just by being your best.”
Williams doesn’t believe in comparing matches or performances since what is needed for victory changes with every foe.
“I’m not into the whole bestmatch thing. It’s about winning the match you’re in,” she said. “Doesn’t matter whether you’re playing well or not playing well. It’s about figuring out how to win. If you’re out there thinking you have to play your best match every time, you’re not going to win these events. That’s too much of a high expectation.”
There are high expectations of another sort at the edge of her thoughts, with Hurricane Irma forecast to strike near her Florida home at the weekend.
“I haven’t watched Irma closely but perhaps I should know more,” Williams said. “I have a lot of family and important people in Florida and my whole life is there.”
But first, she will turn her attention to Stephens, who won their only prior meeting in the first round of the 2015
French Open.
Carreno Busta says playing in the shadow of Rafael Nadal, has helped to keep the pressure off him as he has quietly advanced to the semi-finals of the U.S. Open. The 26-year old has reached his first US Open semifinal after beating Diego Schwatrzman of Argentina 6-4,6-4, 6-2 in the quarter-final.
“Of course if you speak with some Spanish people about tennis, everybody knows Rafa. That’s true that Rafa is an incredible tennis player. He is one of the best ever,” Carreno Busta told reporters after his quarter-final match.
“Maybe it’s just easier when, in your country, Rafa has all the attention and you are without this pressure,” he added.
BACK ON TOP After beating Kvitova to reach her first US Open lastfour stage in 7 years, Venus faces firsttime semifinalist Stephens
Kevin Anderson spoiled the American party at the U.S. Open when he beat local favourite Sam Querrey 7-6(5) 6-7(9) 6-3 7-6(7) to reach his first grand slam semi-final on Tuesday. . “This is incredible, playing on one of the most famous courts, it feels fantastic,” said Anderson, who is the first South African to reach the last four of the U.S. Open since 1968.