Venus rallies past Dushevina to advance at US Open
Quite close to losing in the US Open’s first round for the first time, Williams came all the way back from a set and a break down to beat 47th-ranked Vera Dushevina of Russia 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-3 on Monday night.
The No. 3-seeded Williams, twice the champion at Flushing Meadows, had her left knee bandaged by a trainer after the third game. The American also had plenty of trouble serving: She piled up 10 double-faults and was called for seven foot-faults.
Asked during a postmatch interview on court what it’s going to take for her knee to be better for the second round, Williams said: “A lot of prayer. It’s going to be a lot of prayer. Everything I can throw at it. But, you know, I’m tough.”
She sure proved that on this night.
Dushevina broke for a 3-1 lead in the second set and was three points from winning at 5-4. But Williams, who never has lost in the U.S. Open’s first round, won the next seven games.
Still, there was a bit of shakiness left. Up 4-0 in the third set, Williams dropped three games in a row before righting herself once again.
One measure of how big an upset this would have been: Williams owns seven Grand Slam titles; Dushevina only once has been as far as the fourth round at a major tournament. And then there’s this: Williams entered Monday 43-3 in first-round matches at tennis’ top four tournaments, including 10-0 at the US Open.
Even though Williams improved those marks in the end, the match did serve as the most intriguing encounter of a Day 1 that included victories for defending champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams, Venus’ younger sister.
Kim Clijsters, who recently came out of retirement, won her first match at the US Open since claiming her lone Grand Slam title in New York in 2005.
Source: AP
No comments yet.
