NEW YORK: Serena Williams played more like a world No. 1 than a player outside of the top 600, turning back the clock on Wednesday to defeat world No. Stun 6-2 and move into the third round of the US Open and put their retirement plans on hold.
Defeat was always hard for the hard-fought Williams, and the 40-year-old American’s relentless will to win was demonstrated throughout a gripping two-hour, 27-minute contest of unexpectedly high quality, breathless intensity, and drama.
Williams had signaled her intention to retire earlier this month and said she was “moving away from tennis” but has never confirmed the US Open as her final event.
But any bye has now been put on hold as Williams was back in center court for a doubles match with older sister Venus on Thursday, followed by a third-round clash with Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic who went 1-6, 6-2 , 7-5 won Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina.