[ad_1]
News now | New York – United States (Reuters)
Victoria Azarenka surprised her opponent Serena Williams with a score of 1-6 6-3 6-3 in the semifinals of the US Open tennis tournament on Thursday night, to prevent her from trying to equal the record by winning the 24th title of Grand Slam at home this year.
Azarenka will play Naomi Osaka in her third final match at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, after losing to Serena in 2012 and 2013.
Azarenka said her mental strength was decisive in defeating Serena, 38, who asked for time to recover from her left ankle problem in the third set.
The Belarusian player added: “I was working to calm my nerves and at the same time I was working hard on my body. (Serena) threw me into a deep hole in the first set. I needed energy to get out of this stalemate and that was not easy. “
Serena, who has failed to increase her tally to 23 Grand Slam titles since winning the Australian Open in 2017, said the loss was “disappointing.”
“At the same time … I gave it my all. I feel powerless in earlier times and could have done better. Today I felt like I gave it my all.
Six-time champion Serena started the match with a series of successful shots at Arthur Ashe Stadium, when Azarenka struggled to serve her, committed four double faults in the first set and won six of 15 points on her first serve.
She also made ten easy mistakes, looked angry, and was heard criticizing herself before Serena took a 4-1 lead.
Serena finished the first set in just over half an hour, but Azarenka gained momentum in the second set and broke the third seed with two backstrokes from the baseline to lead 3-2.
Azarenka, who is contesting the semifinals in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in seven years, has excelled in hard-hitting series and has impressive serve.
The 31-year-old forced her opponent into the deciding set after winning about 75 percent of her first serve points and making an easy mistake.
The two-time Australian Open champion continued to push in the play-off set and appeared to be in deep meditation during Serena’s treatment and did not react when an insect crawled up to her nose and waited for the match to resume.
Azarenka reserved her place in the final for aces.
