By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, September 5, 2019
NEW YORK—Midway through the second set, Serena Williams streaked forward for a dangling drop shot and shoveled a slick crosscourt pass that prompted Queen Latifah to leap from her court-side seat.
When Williams wasn’t busy blowing Elina Svitolina off the baseline, she bamboozled the fifth seed with feather duster flicks and the surprise serve and volley.
More: US Open Men's Semifinal Preview
A dynamic Williams lit up an electric Arthur Ashe Stadium sweeping Svitolina, 6-3, 6-1, to streak into her 10th US Open final—and move to within two sets of matching Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles.
"It's really good. I mean, to be in yet another final, it seems honestly crazy," Williams said. "But I don't really expect too much less. I think today was solid. It definitely wasn't my best tennis. She probably could have played better, as well.
"I definitely know I could have played better. I'm just focusing on not that, just the next match."
It was Williams’ 101st career US Open win equaling Hall of Famer Chrissie Evert’s record. The 37-year-old Williams, who powered into her 33rd career major final, can break the record she shares with Evert by seizing her seventh US Open title on Saturday.
Williams tripled Svitolina's winner total— 33 to 11— won 24 of 28 first-serve points and erased all six break points she faced in the early stages of the first set.
"It's just impressive," Williams told ESPN's Rennae Stubbs afterward. "I guess I don’t think about it. I just come out here and do what I can. It’s impressive to be in any club with Chrissie is just really awesome.
"I couldn’t have done it without this crowd. You guys literally have been with me for 20 years and I’m still here."
Twenty years ago, a 17-year-old Serena, clad in a canary-colored Puma outfit, stopped world No. 1 Martina Hingis in the 1999 US Open final to win her first major.
Returning to the final, a revitalized Williams owns the largest gap between first Grand Slam final appearance and most recent final at 19 years, 362 days. The mother of two-year-old daughter Olympia surprised herself with her staying power.
"At 17 I thought for sure I'd be retired at 28, 29, living my life," Williams said. "So, yeah, I would have thought it was a sick joke."
The eighth-seeded American will face 19-year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu in Saturday's final.
The 15th-seeded Andreescu saved a set point at 4-5 in the first set then roared back from 2-5 down in the second stopping 22-year-old Swiss Belinda Bencic, 7-6 (3), 7-5, to charge into her maiden major final in her Flushing Meadows debut.
Last month, Andreescu held a 3-1 lead over Williams in the Toronto final when the American retired due to back spasms. The teenager left quite an impression on tennis' top working mom.
"She's a great player. She mixes things up," Williams said of Andreescu. "You never know what is going to come from her. She does everything else. She serves well, moves well, has a ton of power. She's very exciting to watch. It's good. I think it's great for women's tennis."
Contesting her tenth consecutive US Open semifinal, Williams straddled the baseline, commanded the center of the court and basically shoved Svitolina around in a 70-minute thrashing. Williams has permitted just five games in her last two tournament wins.
Playing her second straight Slam semifinal, Svitolina faced the ultimate challenge—beating Serena in her home major in front of 22,000-plus pro Serena fans—to reach her first Grand Slam final. Add to that the fact Svitolina sat in the court-side box watching boyfriend Gael Monfils fall in a gripping four-hour, five-set quarterfinal loss to Matteo Berrettini yesterday and perhaps the fifth seed was simply too drained to put up much of a fight against an overwhelming opponent.
"I think she knows what she has to do. She has unbelievable strength," Svitolina said of Williams. "She gives lots of power. There's lots of power behind her shots all the time.
"That's what makes her unbelievable, legendary tennis player. On the important moments, she step up, always step up, always brings her best game."
Both showed signs of jitters early. Svitolina slid an angled return then clubbed a drive volley for double break point. Williams whipped a wide ace to save the first then caught a break when Svitolina netted a forehand on the second. On the third break point, Svitolina sailed a nervous return off a second serve.
Sweat seeped beneath the purple headband Williams wore as she worked hard through a six-minute hold to open.
Failing to convert three break points in the first game, Svitolina squandered a 40-love lead and three more game points in the second. A pair of double faults didn’t help matters.
Reading the Ukrainian’s serve, Williams thumped successive backhand bolts down the line converting her third break point. That sequence sparked a run of six straight points as Williams wrenched a 3-0 lead after 18 minutes.
Down triple break point in the fifth game, Williams unleashed the surprise serve and swing volley winner then banged a backhand winner down the line saving her sixth break point and breaking Svitolina's spirit.
"They were long games and I know how she can play," Williams said. "She’s such a good player and obviously two (major) semis in a row really hard to do and impressive.
"I just tried not to get off to a slow start and hang in there."
The speedy Svitolina was extending points—and held game points in four of the first five games—but Williams was winning them with declarative strikes stretching the lead to 4-1.
Swinging more freely on serve, Williams hammered her fourth ace and had won 15 of 18 first-serve points extending to 5-2.
Break-point defiance and her persistence stepping into the court attacking helped Williams slam shut the 41-minute opening set on the strength of 19 winners and six break points saved.
The clarity and intensity Svitolina showed in her victories over Venus Williams, Madison Keys and Johanna Konta was MIA tonight. It was as if Svitolina operated under the assumption if she just hung back and played steady, Williams would leak errors.
That didn’t happen. Williams was quick off the mark, getting her body behind the ball and snapping off shots with punishing power.
A skittish Svitolina looked detached and drifted behind the baseline into defensive positions. When she tried to press the issue, Williams showed will and wheels spinning into a stab backhand get that helped her break for a 2-1 second-set lead.
Growing stronger with each passing game, Williams slashed one final backhand down the line closing in 70 minutes to raise her major semifinal record to 33-5, including a 10-3 mark in US Open semifinals.
Seeking her first title since she defeated sister Venus to win the 2017 Australian Open, Serena has major stars aligned before her. Williams can win her first Grand Slam title as a mother, match Court's all-time major mark and put herself in position to break the mark in Melbourne next January.
"I definitely would still be playing if I had already passed it," Williams said. "I've had so many chances to pass it and to have a lot more, but it's cool because I'm playing in an era with five eras with so many amazing players.
"If you look at the span of the career, the players I've played, it's amazing that I was able to get this many."