Sport
Serena Williams beats Ivanovic to reach US Open Quarter Finals
Already having let a big early lead slip away in the U.S. Open’s fourth round, Serena Williams (pictured), was facing a break point and in danger of falling behind Ana Ivanovic, a former No. 1 and Grand Slam title-winner.
A six-stroke exchange ended with Ivanovic netting a forehand to make the game score deuce. Up near the net, Williams held up a clenched fist and yelled, loud as can be: “Come on!”
It’s a rallying cry often heard from the 29-year-old American, her first such display of this afternoon. Calling the match on TV, seven-time major champion John McEnroe said, “Scared me.”
Whether that sort of in-your-face yell is meant to frighten opponents or not, it appeared to have that very effect. Williams took the next two points, too, starting a run of five consecutive games that allowed her to regain the upper hand in a 6-3, 6-4 victory over the 16th-seeded Ivanovic on Monday.
Asked afterward whether she tries to be intimidating on court, 13-time Grand Slam champion Williams replied: “No, I don’t try. I just am.”
Ivanovic insisted Williams didn’t bother her with anything she said: “Not at all; I mean, I was screaming some ‘Come ons’,” the Serb explained.
But what about the way Williams plays? Well, that’s another matter entirely.
