By Erik Gudris | Saturday, March 26, 2016
Miami Open defending champion Serena Williams earned her 750th career win in a straight sets struggle over Zarina Diyas.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
“You got this!”
That’s what an encouraging fan yelled out to top seed and defending champion Serena Williams as she neared the end of her third round encounter with Zarina Diyas at the Miami Open. Williams, who struggled more than expected in the match, eventually did get it to post a straight sets win.
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While the performance wasn’t one of her finest, the result certainly was, and not just because it meant Williams was in the fourth round. Williams earned a milestone 750th career victory. A milestone earned not just by her winning 21 major singles titles, but also by winning these kinds of early round matches throughout her career when clearly not playing at the high level she expects of herself each time she steps out on court.
Diyas, who got as high as No. 31 last year, proved up to the challenge of playing Williams on her home court in Miami. After both players traded several breaks early on, an unsettled Williams then had a testy conversation with chair umpire Kadir Nouni on the changover.
“Don’t start with me today. You always pick on me. Unless you are going to give me a warning, don’t talk to me,” Williams said to Nouni.
What prompted the warning is still unclear, but Williams tried to channel her displeasure through her shots. Diyas kept hanging with Williams in their extended rallies, but wasn’t threatening yet to make this a match. Williams held on to a break lead and then served for the set at 5-4.
But Williams faltered as she tried to serve it out. Falling behind a break point, Williams then committed a backhand error followed by a forehand error. Diyas now found herself back in the match for 5-all.
Diyas held her own again in their rallies and made Williams come up with bigger winners to finish off points. Williams crunched a short Diyas serve for a winner and eventually had the lead again for 6-5.
Williams, who hit 10 winners and 19 unforced errors in the erratic set, finally served it out on her second try for 7-5.
The top seed appeared to sort out her game to open the second set.
Williams unleashed a crosscourt forehand winner and then an angry “Come on!” as she broke Diyas. That allowed Williams to soon open up a 4-0 lead. By now, it seemed the expected finish line was close at hand.
But not so fast as Williams found herself again befuddled by Diyas’ ability to hang in their rallies. Errors creeped back into Williams’ game as well.
Up 4-1, Williams served two double faults and then dumped a forehand into the net to hand one of the breaks back. Diyas held at love for 4-3 and soon it looked like we might just have a tighter set.
Williams channeled more frustration into every shot and exasperation afterwards as she managed to get one more shot past her opponent. She soon held for 5-3.
It was around this time that her superfan called out “You got this!” By all accounts, Williams had the match on her racquet all the time, it just took her longer to get there.
Big hitting from Williams soon got her to 15-40 on Diyas’ serve. With that, the defending champion could finally see the end was here. And she didn’t waste time as one final rally ended with Diyas hitting long.
With the 7-5, 6-3 win, Williams earned her spot back in the Miami sweet sixteen along with that record 750th career win. It’s the seventh most wins in WTA history. Lindsay Davenport is in sixth place with 753 wins. Martina Navratilova leads all players with 1,442 career wins.
During her post-match interview, Williams was asked about her troubles closing out the second set.
“I think she called her coach and started with a new strategy. I was kind of able to figure that out after a little bit. She played well," Williams said. "She’s so young and has such a bright future.”
Next up for Williams is a very familiar opponent in No. 15 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. The 2006 champion edged past Caroline Garcia in a back and forth final set before prevailing 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(6).
This will be a rematch of last year’s fourth round that Williams won. Williams seemed to relish the idea of facing her friend again.
“We’re really good friends and obviously when we play we will go all out against each other and whoever wins will be a great person in the quarters.”