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Vinci on "Impossible" Upset of Serena: Today Was My Day



By Richard Pagliaro
Photo credit: US Open/USTA

NEW YORK—Roberta Vinci shattered Serena Williams' Grand Slam dream by realizing her "impossible" dream.

In an upset for the ages, the 43rd-ranked Vinci sliced up the world No. 1 in a monumental 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 US Open shocker to advance to her first career Grand Slam final.

"It's an incredible moment for me. It's amazing. Like a dream. I'm in the final," Vinci told ESPN's Tom Rinaldi afterward. "I beat Serena, sorry guys, sorry, but for me is amazing moment. It's incredible. So many things in my mind, (an) incredible match.

"I lost the first set. I tried to stay in every single point. At that end, when I served, It  was like impossible but I try to stay focused. I don't think about the match, about Serena's an incredible player. So I think the best moment of my life."

More: Pennetta Routs Halep To Reach US Open Final

Those words prompted a huge roar from the appreciative crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium as did her passionate performance.

It was a brilliant all-court display from the 5-foot-4 Vinci, who defused Williams' superior power with her off-pace slice backhand, crackling forehand drives down the line and her skill dragging Williams forward where she was clearly unsettled.

"(I'm sorry) for the American people, for Serena, for the Grand Slam, but today is my day sorry guys," said Vinci, eyes wide with disbelief after a two-hour triumph that defied expectations of most of the tennis world.

At the age of 32 years, six months in her 44th career Grand Slam, Vinci is just the third unseeded woman in the Open Era to reach the US Open final.

Her epic upset sets up an all-Italian US Open final against good friend Flavia Pennetta, who routed No. 2-seeded Simona Halep, 6-1, 6-3, to reach her first Grand Slam final.

The upset ends Williams' quest for the calendar Grand Slam and snaps her 33-match Grand Slam winning streak.

Riding a 26-match US Open winning steak, the reigning champion carried a 25-3 record in Grand Slam semifinals onto the court. But the six-time champion could not cope with the pressure of the moment or the clever all-court skills of a committed opponent.

It was Serena's first Grand Slam loss since Alize Cornet bounced her out of the 2014 Wimbledon 14 months ago.



The burden of playing for history was evident in her movement. Williams was not as quick off the mark, particularly moving up to the short slice, nor was she swinging as fluidly as she did in her quarterfinal victory over older sister Venus Williams.

Vinci changes the pace more often and her off-pace shots gave the top seed time to think and feel the pressure. Still, she downplayed the role pressure played in her demise.
 
"I made a couple of tight shots, to be honest, maybe just about two," a terse Serena said. "Other than that I don't think I was that tight."

Her face tightening with tension as the match progressed, Williams could not solve Vinci's all-court game or master her nerves with the match on the line.

Williams, whose post-match press conference lasted just three minutes, declined to address the disappointment of failing to complete the calendar Grand Slam but credited Vinci.

"I thought she played the best tennis of her career. She's going for it at a late age. Good for her," Williams said in a brief post-match press conference. "I think she played literally out of her mind. I don't think I played that bad. I made more unforced errors than I normally make. But I think she played really well. She didn't want to lose today and neither did I."


A massive long shot to win this match, Vinci was such an immense underdog she admitted she didn't believe she could win the match when she woke up today.

"No," Vinci grinned when asked if she believed she would win when she woke up today. "I wake up okay I have semifinal try to enjoy. I don't think about Serena, just enjoy. But I didn't expect that I won."

Trailing 0-2 in the decisive set, Vinci dug in and played points on her terms.

Serving for the biggest win of her career, Vinci closed with the confidence of a woman running down an impossible dream.

"In my mind I say put the ball on the court. Don't think. Try to put all the ball on the court," Vinci said. "Don't think about Serena on the court. Put the ball in the court and run. Don't think and run. And then I won."



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