What a match!
As I say goodnight, realize just how great a match this was. Kvitova has overcome so much with December’s stabbing. She came into the Open focused and fought hard in this match. Only a couple of mistakes doomed her. It will be great to see how she will play next year.
A huge win for Venus Williams
What a year it has been for Venus Williams. She now goes into the top five reviving a career that seemed on the decline. She now moves into a semifinal with American Sloan Stephens. In a year without her sister Serena, an opening has been left and she is seizing it.
“I felt everyone single one of you here, all 23,000 of you,” she said on an on-court interview. “I didn’t want to let you guys down.”
Venus Williams beats Petra Kvitova
Third set: Williams 6-3, 3-6,7-6 ( 7-2) Kvitova
Williams jumped out to a 4-1 lead even adjusting her hair in the middle of one point. A wide shot from Kvitova put her up 5-1 on the changeover. Venus double-faulted on her first match point but then force Kvitova to hit wide on the second. She clenched her fist, jumped in place a bit and ran to the net to shake hands with a discouraged Kvitova.
Third set: Williams 6-3, 3-6, 6-6*Kvitova (*denotes server)
There was really no other way for this match to end but on a tie-break. Both players look exhausted, the fans seem exhausted, I’m exhausted typing this. What a night.
Third set: *Williams 6-3, 3-6, 5-6 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Tied at 30-30, Williams hits a backhand for a winner and then gets Kvitova to hit a shot long to hold serve and draw close to winning this match.
Third set: Williams 6-3, 3-6, 5-5 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Nothing is coming easy to Kvitova. Venus is retuning her big serve and she is relying on long rallies to win points. But she holds serve without losing a point. The tension inside the stadium is extreme with the crowd screaming on every point.
Third set: *Williams 6-3, 3-6, 5-4 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Now it’s Venus’s turn to be fired up. She snapped a bit at the chair umpire after the wrong shot was reviewed (she won the challenge once the snafu was figured out). She went up 40-0 then dropped to 40-40 despite a great flying backhand and then fought through three break points to win the game as the crowd roars.
This match is more than two hours old, it’s a humid night and both players are battling hard. It’s everything this match was advertised to be and more.
Third set: Williams 6-3, 3-6, 4-4 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova will not go gently into the New York night. She launches her seventh and eighth aces of the night to hold serve and put pressure back on Venus.
Third set: *Williams 6-3, 3-6, 4-3 Kvitova (*denotes server)
At 37, Williams is playing this third set like she’s 25. She nearly wins every point of the game, losing only on a great save from Kvitova on what looked at first to be an ace. As she took the final point, the crowd rose to their feet. There’s nothing quite like a US Open crowd during a good night match.
Third set: Williams 6-3, 3-6, 3-3 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
After a long rally to win the first point, Kvitova takes the second with a 101 mph second serve. But she then loses the next four points, double-faulting for the eighth time tonight to let Williams back in the match.
Third set: *Williams 6-3, 3-6, 2-3 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Williams desperately needed this game and she got after nearly blowing a 40-0 lead. As she hit a forehand winner to take the game, the New York crowd roared. Obviously they are behind her and for the first time of the night they are roaring on every point she wins, hoping she can come back and somehow win.
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Third set: Williams 6-3, 3-6, 1-3 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova is really battling through this match and succeeding. Down 15-40 she saved her ninth break point of the night and comes back to win the game, finishing it off with a serve that hit the edge of Venus’s racket and dribbled away.
Third set: *Williams 6-3, 3-6, 1-2 Kvitova (*denotes server)
The pressure is intense. Williams, who now has both earrings back on, is unable to hold serve as Kvitova hits several incredible returns. Kvitova’s final point is a powerful forehand that a lunging Venus is unable to return from the back right -hand corner of the court. Venus’s shoulders slump as Kvitova takes the first big lead of the set.
Third set: Williams 6-3, 3-6, 1-1*Kvitova (*denotes server)
This is a tremendous match. Kvitova has struggled with her serve all night and yet she continues to fight back. Once again, Williams nearly broke her but she nailed an ace down the middle and forced Venus to hit into the net.
Third set: *Williams 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Williams is in her third, three-set match in this tournament. She looks strong on a muggy night, holding serve despite losing a couple of points. Kvitova, by the way, has not played a three-set match in this year’s Open. Since her return in May she has won all of her three-set matches.
Kvitova wins the second set!
Second set: Williams 6-3, 3-6 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Much like in the first set, the second set was closer than the score indicates. Kvitova came back nicely from her first set loss and the shakiness following the rain delay to hit enough huge serves to push this to a third set.
Second set: *Williams 6-3,3-5 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Venus, who lost an earring a couple of games back and is playing with only one dangling earring, is fighting to stay alive in this set. After running off to a 40-0 lead, she is pushed to deuce by Kvitova before winning.
Second set: Williams 6-3, 2-5 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova seems almost to be willing herself through this second set. After falling down 15-40 with her seventh double fault of the night, she fights back to win the game. At the end, she bends over and shrieks. She’s not her sharpest in just her eighth tournament back from December’s stabbing but she is battling her way through this set and is a game away from tying this match.
Second set: *Williams 6-3, 2-4 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Williams holds serve in a quick game that allows her to stay in striking distance of Kvitova if she can break her in the next game.
Second set: Williams 6-3, 1-4 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova was wavering again as Venus nearly broke her serve, but at 15-40 she seems to find her serve again, blasting two past Williams. She screams as she walks off the court on the changeover.
Second set: *Williams 6-3,1-3 Kvitova (*denotes server)
After the rain delay without rain Venus wins all the points to take her first game of the second set. It will be interesting to see how the two players react to the delay. Perhaps Williams can ride the momentum of this game to get back in the set.
The players are back on the court
On television they are asking a good question: why can’t they play while the roof closes? There seems no great answer as the roof is so high in the stadium that it wouldn’t be a distraction. Regardless of the reason, it’s wise they closed the roof when they did, raindrops were starting to splatter on the court as the roof moved toward a close.
We have a rain delay
It’s not actually raining at the tennis center but it’s pouring nearby in Manhattan so a decision has been made to close the stadium’s roof. They do not close the roof during play so play has been stopped. Both players are sitting in chairs on the side rather than retreating to the locker room. This shouldn’t take too long.
Second set: Williams 6-3, 0-3*Kvitova (*denotes server)
Venus is doing a great job of attacking Kvitova’s huge serve. In this game she is forcing Kvitova to force her serves outside. At one point Kvitova hit a shot in the net and threw her racket on the ground. Kvitova was almost broken three times but finally perseveres in the longest game of the match.
Second set: *Williams 6-3, 0-2 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova breaks Venus early with several solid returns and rallies. After losing the final point Williams goes to her bag to change rackets. Let’s see if it helps.
Second set: Williams 6-3, 0-1 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
After dropping the first set, Kvitova comes back with several powerful serves to win all but one point.
Venus Williams wins the first set!
First set: *Williams 6-3 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Though she had a couple glitches on her serve, Venus wins a handful of good rallies, including a beautiful drop volley at Kvitova’s feet, to take the final game of the first set. This set was much closer than the score indicates.
First set: Williams 5-3 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova had been hitting well since her one hiccup early in the set but she loses serve for the second time as she seems flat-footed on several Williams returns. Now Venus can take the first set right here.
First set: *Williams 4-3 Kvitova (* denotes server)
Williams seizes some control forcing Kvitova to hit a return into the net on her final serve.
First set: Williams 3-3 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Now it’s Kvitova’s turn to lose her poise. She double faults and hits several wide shots, winning only a point in a game that could have helped her take some control of this set. Now each woman has a break.
First set: *Williams 2-3 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Venus storms back with a series of booming serves, winning all the points and blasting an ace past Kvitova who doesn’t even move. Whatever struggles Williams had a few moments ago seem gone now.
First set: Williams 1-3 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova has seized early control, giving up only one point. It’s noisy in the stadium as late-arriving fans settle into their seats for the first match of the evening session. Always a problem for players in the first big night match at the US Open.
First set: *Williams 1-2 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Venus is suddenly struggling with her serve. She misses on several serves and seems a little out-of-synch, double faulting twice as Kvitova breaks her early.
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First set: Williams 1-1 *Kvitova (*denotes server)
Kvitova looks a little shakier of the two early on. She double faulted once and hit a few shots wide but holds serve with a great cross-court shot.
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First set: *Williams 1-0 Kvitova (*denotes server)
Venus wins all but one point in the game, finishing it off with an ace at 40-15.
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Venus Williams serves first
Her initial serve goes into the net but she wins the first point when a Kvitova forehand goes into the net.
Kvitova has dominated Venus in their brief playing history
Kvitova holds a 4-1 advantage over Williams with Venus’s only victory coming in 2012. In their last meeting, at 2014’s Wimbledon, Kvitova powered past Williams. But it’s been a different Venus this year. She is stronger and hitting with more power.
Hello and welcome to one of the most anticipated matches of the US Open.
It looks like a beautiful night in Flushing Meadows for this quarterfinal match between Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova. Venus hasn’t won this tournament since 2001 but she is on a great run through the last week and a half. Likewise, this is a huge match for Kvitova who seems to have found her game after coming back this summer from last year’s stabbing.
Just a reminder that the US already have a semi-finalist, one Sloane Stephens. Here’s the AP take on it:
Sloane Stephens’ comeback from injury will keep going all the way to the US Open semifinals.
Stephens edged No16 seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) on Tuesday to reach the final four of a major tournament for the first time since 2013.
Sidelined from tennis for nearly a year and unsure what she could accomplish just last month, the unseeded American advanced to face the winner of the match between Grand Slam champions Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova on Tuesday night.
Stephens had left foot surgery in January and didn’t return to the tour until Wimbledon in July. Her ranking fell to 934th before she reached consecutive semifinals at hard-court tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati in August.
“When I started my comeback at Wimbledon, I could have never even dreamed of something like this happening, having these results,” Stephens said in an on-court interview.
She’s No. 83 now with 13 wins in her last 15 matches, becoming just the seventh player outside the top 50 to reach the U.S. Open women’s semifinals since the rankings began in 1975.
Her only previous Grand Slam semifinal was at the Australian Open four years ago.
Les will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s Bryan Graham on success for the US women at this year’s tournament:
The perpetual hand-wringing over the future of American women’s tennis can take pause, at least for a few days. The false dawns of the past decade have given way to hard-won dividends and the best could be yet to come.
When Madison Keys pounded a backhand winner down the line at 11.41pm on Monday night to punctuate a gritty 7-6 (2), 1-6, 6-4 comeback win over No4 seed Elina Svitolina, the 22-year-old gave the United States four women in the US Open quarter-finals for the first time in 15 years – and none of them are named Serena.
The 15th-seeded Keys joined No9 Venus Williams, No20 CoCo Vandeweghe and unseeded Sloane Stephens in the last eight at Flushing Meadows. All four have come out of separate quarters of the draw, creating the opportunity for the first all-American semi-final twinbill at any grand slam since Wimbledon in 1985, when Martina Navratilova defeated Zina Garrison and Chris Evert saw off Kathy Rinaldi.
You can read the full article here:
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