Australian Open - Serena Williams stunned as Anastasia Potapova double faults FIVE times in one game
Updated 12/02/2021 at 06:55 GMT
If any further proof was required that tennis is a mental sport, it came when Anastasia Potapova double faulted five times in a single game when serving for the opening set against Serena Williams during their Australian Open 2021 third-round match on the big stage that is Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
There were bizarre scenes on Rod Laver Arena as Anastasia Potapova double faulted five times in a single game with Serena Williams left to watch on stunned.
Williams battled her way into the last 16 after what was a scrappy 7-6(5) 6-2 win over the Russian, but it could have been very different had Potapova kept her composure.
Serving at 5-3 up after a very impressive start to the match, the 19-year-old from Saratov totally lost her cool, and her serving technique, at what was a crucial point in the match.
Williams, pursuing her 24th Grand Slam in Melbourne, could only watch on in bewilderment at the developing disaster for her young opponent.
"What's wrong?!" Potapova screamed up at her box in frustration as her serve fell apart when she needed it most.
It was tough to watch as the Russian battled back time and again through deuce, only for her serve to continue to ruin her progress in the match.
Serena, the 10th seed, improved as the contest progressed and will now take on the in-form Aryna Sabalenka in the next round.
“It feels good to be in the fourth round," she said after the victory, which was anything but easy or straightforward for the American.
"It felt good to get through that match, it felt like I didn’t come out of the starting blocks like I would’ve liked to since I’ve been playing here but it’s about surviving and playing better every round."
- - -
A head-turning offer for head-turning tennis. One-month premium subscription for just 99p on the Eurosport app and eurosport.co.uk
Join 3M+ users on app
Download
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article