By Ruth Ferguson, NDG Editor
Victory almost blew away for No. 1 ranked Serena Williams in her pursuit of her fifth U.S. Open Championship against Victoria Azarenka. She clearly was very frustrated by the way the windy day disrupted her game against Azarenka, contributing to her losing her first set during the 2013 U.S. Open tournament. Williams was only two match points away from winning in the second set when Azarenka fought her way back and pushed it to third nail biting set.
CBS analyst John McEnroe and company pointed out Williams was as much a part of the problems as she was the solution. They suggested the wind was not as much of a factor as many might think. Also at one point Williams had 30 unforced errors in comparison to only two from Azarenka. The two women played the longest running championship since the 1980s when they began tracking it.
In the end, Azarenka’s return went long sending Serena leaping for joy with a 6-1 victory in the 3rd set. She has won 17 Grand Slam championships and fifth U.S. Open title. She is now pursuing
Azarenka was gracious in defeat saying, “It is a tough loss but to be in the finals and play against the best player who deserved to win today is incredible. I gave it all again this year, we showed our hearts,” as she congratulated Williams.
Williams started by thanking God for her victory and her supporters. Then she acknowledged Azarenka was a worthy opponent saying, “It was never over until match point.”
To read more coverage, visit USA Today’s wrap up.
