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By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, September 6, 2018


NEW YORK—Beneath the closed Arthur Ashe Stadium roof, Serena Williams showed there is no ceiling to her pulsating all-court skills.

A year after giving birth to her first child, Williams continues major rebirth.

Watch: Farewell Francesca Schiavone

The 36-year-old Williams showed slick net skills streaking through 12 of the final 13 games in a 6-3, 6-0 annihilation of Anastasija Sevastova to charge into her ninth US Open final.

Anticipating the Latvian's off-pace finess and drop shot skills, Williams answered with an authoritative all-court performance to power into her 31st Grand Slam final, including her second straight major title match. 

"Honestly, it is remarkable," Williams said. "I couldn't have predicted this at all. Just been working really hard. Like I said, this is just the beginning of my return. I'm still on the way up. There's still much more that I plan on doing. You don't reach your best a couple months in. That's kind of where I am now.

"I just feel like there's a lot of growth to still go in my game. That's actually the most exciting part."




"It's honestly really incredible," said Williams, who gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia last September. "A year ago, I was fighting for, literally, my life at the hospital after I had the baby. "So every day I step out on this court, I am so grateful that I have an opportunity to play this sport, you know? So no matter what happens in any match—semis, finals—I just feel like I've already won."

Swarming net for swing volleys, smashes, traditional volleys and even a few serve-and-volleys, Williams won 24 of 28 net points in a 65-minute elegant demolition.

It was vintage Serena with an old-school twist of attacking tennis that you could have seen from Althea Gibson on the grass courts of Forest Hills in the pre-Open Era.

"I've been working hard on my volleys; I have won a few doubles championships so I know how to volley," Williams joked to ESPN's Tom Rinaldi afterward. "I usually just come in to shake hands, but tonight I know I'm playing such a good player. I wanted to try something different today and it worked in my favor."

Continuing her quest to claim a 24th Grand Slam crown to equal Margaret Court's all-time record, Williams will face either compatriot Madison Keys or 20th-seeded Naomi Osaka in Saturday's final.

Serena, who turns 37 in 20 days time, has dropped just one set reaching the final 19 years after she swept world No. 1 Martina Hingis to win her first US Open crown. Williams is one win from an Open Era record seventh US Open championship.

This was more than a semifinal beat down, this was Williams making a ruthless statement to the two talented semifinalists following her on Ashe: Bring it. 

Both Keys and Osaka grew up looking up to Williams, but Osaka showed no signs of hero worship sweeping Serena in Miami in March.

Contesting her ninth consecutive US Open semifinal, Williams got off to a slow start for the second straight match sailing a forehand long to gift the break in the opening game.

The woman wearing bright orange showed no trace of nerves at the. Sevastova retired from tennis for about 20 months and said that sabatical gave her a fresh perspective on the game and pressure.

A savvy spin shifter, Sevastavo can mix a heavier topspin forehand with variety off her backhand, which she can thump flat or slice. Cranking a crosscourt backhand, she backed up the break.

Deploying about nine drop shots in her quarterfinal defeat of defending champion Sloane Stephens, Sevastova slithered a devious dropper in the fourth game. That shot failed her as she netted a drop shot. Williams won a six-minute break leveling at 2-all.




Forward thinking ignited Williams—she won eight of 11 trips to net through six games—then she erupted slashing a running forehand to break again.

The closed lid created ideal serving conditions devoid of the breeze and blistering heat and humidity of recent days. Williams' pale purple tutu was swirling like a Disney princess gown as she soared for a slam sealing her fifth straight game for 5-2.

"I think she played very good today," Sevastova said. "She has an amazing serve. It's tough to return. She makes so much pressure on the first, second ball, it's tough for me.

"But I moved well. I got in the game actually pretty well. I knew what to expect, yeah. I was ready. But somehow maybe I started playing a little bit worse and worse. But she was getting better."

Rocketing a 120 mph blast—her fastest serve of the tournament—Williams slid an ace off the center stripe for set point. Moving forward, Williams closed the set in 39 minutes.




Coach Patrick Mouratoglou emphasized the transition game urging the former No. 1 to attack every time a stretched Sevastova went to the backhand slice.

Streaking forward, Williams whipped a forehand drive volley followed by an angled forehand volley sparking a break to start the second set.

By then, the two-time US Open doubles champion had won 17 of 20 trips to net.

Moving with explosive ambition, Williams was in full flight running down the Latvian's drop shot scoring her fourth break for 3-0.

While the 19th-seeded Latvian has an ingenious feel for the game, midway through the second set she wore the vacant expression of a woman out of ammo against an overwhelming opponent who had answers from all over the court.

Roping a forehand return down the line, the Wimbledon finalist broke again for 5-0.

On her second match point, Williams crunched a crosscourt forehand closing a dynamic and dominating performance propelling her into her ninth US Open final.




This marks the first time in 80 years, since the 1937-38 seasons, that there will be four different women's major champions in back-to-back seasons.

A night of masterful moves forward has Williams amped up for her future.

"I'm just beginning," said Williams playing just her seventh tournament since giving birth. "This has only been a few months. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the year and next year. This is only the beginning. I'm looking foreward to the possibilities." 


 

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