Azarenka foils Williams’ quest for 24th major
TENNIS
NEW YORK: Victoria Azarenka had been flattened by Serena Williams in the first set of their US Open semifinal. There is no other word to describe it.
Azarenka could not hold serve, could not dent Williams’ formidable serve, and had little chance against Williams’ walloped ground strokes.
Yet, when the circumstances were darkest, Azarenka found the light within herself to believe she could push back against the woman she had never before beaten in a major tournament.
‘‘I knew it’s never over until I have another chance,’’ Azarenka said. Improbably enough, she was right.
Given one chance, the Belarus native took two sets and the match, ending Williams’ quest for a recordtying 24th Grand Slam singles title. Azarenka crouched on the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York and covered her face with her hands after a replay showed she had hit an ace to clinch 16, 63, 63 victory and advance to tomorrow’s final against Naomi Osaka.
‘‘I dug myself in a big hole — I mean, she dug me in a big hole in the first set,’’ said Azarenka, who won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013 and lost to Williams in the US Open finals in those same years.
‘‘I had to climb my way out of there one by one and I’m very happy that I’m able to turn around, because it wasn’t easy for sure.’’
Williams injured her left foot in the second game of the third set as she chased a deep backhand by Azarenka. She needed a medical timeout and had her already heavily taped ankle taped again.
She later said she had stretched her Achilles, but did not blame that for her defeat.
‘‘I don’t think it had anything to do [with the loss]’’, she said.
‘‘I think Victoria played well. It didn’t affect my play ultimately at all, just for that one point.’’
Williams lost that game and stayed in the set, but Azarenka was simply too powerful and determined and newly able to read Williams’ serve.
Williams is still chasing Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles; since Williams’ return to competition in 2018 after giving birth to her daughter, she has twice reached the finals at Wimbledon and twice reached the US Open final but has lost on all four occasions.
This year, she could not even get that far, although she said she plans to play in the French Open, which was rescheduled to begin later this month.
‘‘It’s obviously disappointing,’’ Williams, who will be 39 in a few weeks, said.
‘‘At the same time, I did what I could today. I feel like other times I’ve been close and I could have done better. Today I felt like I gave a lot.’’
That was not enough against the resurgent Azarenka, who was unseeded and is still getting her career back on track after a custody battle over her son, Leo, prevented her from traveling and playing a full schedule.
‘‘I hope it just, hopefully inspires women to go after their dreams,’’ Azarenka said of her success.
‘‘Being a parent is to me the most important thing, but I’m a tennis player on the court, a fighter on the court, I want to go after my dreams, my personal dreams, inspire my child and I hope that women around the world know that they can do anything because being a parent is the toughest thing and once you can balance that you can do anything.’’
Osaka, a 76 (1), 36, 63 winner over American Jennifer Brady in the first semifinal, sat in the stadium and watched the match between Azarenka and Williams. The 2018 US Open champion was hesitant to say much about her plans against Azarenka, but her intentions are clear.
‘‘Noone remembers anyone but the winner,’’ she said. — Los Angeles Times