US Open
\n ISLAMABAD
\nSerena Williams showed she has no intention of ending her singles career without a fight after beating second seed Anett Kontaveit on another remarkable night at the US Open.
\nA few weeks ago, Williams announced she was \u201cevolving away\u201d from playing tennis in an essay for fashion magazine Vogue, but agreed after beating Montenegro\u2019s Danka Kovinic on Monday she had been vague about her exact timeline.
\n\u201cThere is no rush here,\u201d she laughed after beating Kontaveit. \u201cThere is still a little left in me.\u201d
\nWhile lacking some of the pomp and ceremony from her opening match on Monday, this was another special atmosphere as 23-time major singles champion Williams looked to extend her storied career by at least another round.
\nMore A-List celebrities, including golf superstar Tiger Woods, actress Zendaya and soul singer Gladys Knight, were among an adoring home crowd on the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium which was wowed by Williams rolling back the years in an impressive performance.
\nAfter edging a tense opening set, the former long-time world number one suffered a dip of energy from the start of the second set as Kontaveit levelled but she recovered to win an edgy decider.
\nIn the end, Williams handled the occasion better than her 26-year-old opponent – who looked emotional before the final game as she hid under her towel – and secured a victory that left many in an exultant crowd jumping to their feet to celebrate.
\n\u201cI\u2019m a pretty good player, this is what I do best. I love a challenge and I\u2019m rising to the challenge,\u201d said the six-time US Open champion, who first won at Flushing Meadows in 1999.
\n\u201cI haven\u2019t played many matches but I\u2019ve been practising really well. Now it\u2019s coming together in New York.\u201d
\nIs Williams surprised by her level? \u2018No, I\u2019m Serena\u2019
\nWhether it would come together in New York was debatable heading into the Grand Slam tournament.
\nWilliams had only played four times since making her return from an 11-month injury lay-off, with her most recent match ending in a thrashing by British number one Emma Raducanu in Cincinnati.
\nThere she had struggled with a knee injury in the build-up. Here she is fit, moving well and matching the athleticism of her younger opponents.
\nOne factor which could never be questioned is her insatiable desire to win and the ability to summon the mental strength to overcome adversity.
\nAsked if she was surprised by her level, Williams replied: \u201cNo. I\u2019m just Serena.\u201d
\nKontaveit is ranked second in the world but has struggled to live up to her status in recent months.
\nHer level was decent against Williams in their first career meeting and she said she thought she \u201cdidn\u2019t play a bad match at all\u201d.
\n\u201cI think you have to be ready for really great tennis because Serena has been such a big champion, winning all these Grand Slam titles for a reason,\u201d she added.
\n\u201cShe definitely raised her level in the third set. She played amazing.\u201d
\nGolfer Tiger Woods sat among Williams\u2019 team and family in her support box, with Williams saying afterwards her friend\u2019s motivating chats were \u201cone of the main reasons\u201d she was still playing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
US Open ISLAMABAD Serena Williams showed she has no intention of ending her singles career without a fight after beating second seed Anett Kontaveit on another remarkable night at the US Open. A few weeks ago, Williams announced she was \u201cevolving away\u201d from playing tennis in an essay for fashion magazine Vogue, but agreed after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":281010,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[10430,736,7273,10429,10428],"class_list":{"0":"post-280993","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-anett-kontaveit","9":"tag-beat","10":"tag-new-york","11":"tag-second-seed","12":"tag-serena-williams"},"yoast_head":"\n