Roberta Vinci Strips Serena Williams’s Chance at a Grand Slam

Three time defending champion Serena Williams will not be returning to the US Open finals this year due to a shocking defeat at the hands of Roberta Vinci. Williams was ranked as the world’s number one seed and was expected to beat out Vinci in the semi-final match to be placed in the finals of the US Open tournament once again this year, but ended up biting off a bit more than she could chew.

The match started off in Williams’s favor with a 2-6 set, but that didn’t dishearten Vinci in the least. Roberta Vinci came back in the next two sets with a close score of 6-4 in both, ending the 33 match win streak of her opponent and moving on to the finals.

Vinci is ranked number 43 in the world and will face off against the 26th seeded player Flavia Pennetta in the final round of the US Open. Flavia managed to beat out Romania’s 2nd seeded Simona Halep in the first two rounds with a score of 6-1 and 6-3.

“I think she played out of her mind. I don’t think I played that bad. I think she just played really well,” Williams told interviewers after the match. “She played the best tennis of her career.”

Spectators were shocked at Williams’s defeat, which was a crushing blow to her career that ended her chances of taking home the US Open championship title for a fourth year in a row. This hasn’t been done by another athlete since Steffi Graf won her fourth title back in 1988. Williams has also lost out on her bid for a 22nd major singles title that would have matched Graf’s.

“I don’t want to talk about how disappointing it is for me,” Serena Williams stated. “If you have any other questions I’m open for that.”

As the match continued on Williams had begun to grow emotional, urging herself to serve better and play from behind. Some speculate that this stress may have led to bad plays.

“I don’t feel pressure. I never felt pressure,” Serena stated. “I never felt that pressure to win here. I said that from the beginning.”

On the other hand, Vinci was ecstatic about her victory over the former champion.

“It’s an incredible moment for me,” Vinci enthusiastically declared. “It’s like a dream. I’m in the final. I beat Serena. It’s an amazing moment. It’s incredible. It’s I think the best moment of my life.”

Vinci was surprised at her own victory as this wasn’t the first time she had faced off against Williams. This was their fourth match against one another, where Vinci had lost all four without winning a single set.

Vinci ended up apologizing to the crowd for her victory, and to Serena Williams for ending her chances at a Grand Slam.

“Sorry for the American people, for Serena, for the Grand Slam and everything. Today is my day. Sorry guys.”