Because of last match! Serena Williams amazes everyone

The question was almost like an lese majeste. Serena Williams was asked after her fantastic second-round victory at the US Open whether she was surprising herself with her level of play. “What?” replied the tennis icon, followed by a long laugh and finally said with the self-confidence of a 23-time Grand Slam tournament winner: “I’m just Serena.”

And you always have to reckon with Serena Williams - especially at her expected farewell tournament in New York. After the somewhat bumpy opening win against Danka Kovinic, the American appeared almost like she was at her best in the duel with world number two Anett Kontaveit. In the end, the 40-year-old beat the Estonian 7:6 (7:4), 2:6, 6:2 to thunderous applause in the Arthur Ashe Stadium. “I’m a pretty good player” Serena Williams Williams thus won at least one more Grand Slam singles match before the end of her career was approaching. In the third round she will face the Australian Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday - and by now it is clear to everyone: Williams' start at the home tournament, where she won her first Grand Slam title in 1999 as a 17-year-old, is not just a farewell show. She actually wants to triumph here again.

Arthur Ashe Stadium was upside down during Williams' victory. © APA/getty / Sarah Stier

“I'm a pretty good player,” said Williams, who is only too happy to dispel the low expectations before the start of the tournament. “This is what I do best. I like challenges.” She can also perform freely. “I have nothing to prove, nothing to lose,” emphasized the US tennis star: “I haven't played like that since 1998.” At that time, the exceptional athlete started her glorious Grand Slam career, and 24 years later it will end in New York – preferably late and with lots of fun. Now there's the sister double At the hard court tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Williams will compete in doubles with her sister Venus. The opponents on Friday night are Lucie Hradecka/Linda Noskova from the Czech Republic. The Williams sisters, who won 14 Grand Slam doubles tournaments together, are back on the court together for the first time since the 2018 French Open thanks to a wildcard. “I’m really looking forward to it,” said Serena Williams, “and I can really use the match practice.”

Williams announced her retirement as a competitive athlete three weeks ago. She wanted to keep it “vague” when exactly that would happen, she emphasized during the US Open, “you never know.”

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Because of last match! Serena Williams amazes everyone

Serena Williams' farewell has been postponed: The tennis icon caused a big surprise at the US Open with a fantastic victory and moved into the third round to thunderous applause in the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

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