'I cannot think that far' – Serena Williams not dreaming about US Open title after stunning Anett Kontaveit
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Updated 01/09/2022 at 09:26 GMT
The Serena Williams Show rumbles on in New York after the American legend stunned second seed Anett Kontaveit under the lights. The 40-year-old, who faces unseeded Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round at Flushing Meadows, insists she is not daring to think about the trophy yet – and the elusive record-equalling 24th Grand Slam trophy. “I feel like everything is a bonus,” she said.
US Open highlights: Serena thrills home crowd, Medvedev and Kyrgios through
Serena Williams admits she “cannot think” about winning the US Open after her farewell tournament continued with a three-set upset win over No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit.
Williams rolled back the years in front of a sell-out crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium to beat the fancied Estonian 7-6(4) 2-6 6-2. She will play Australian Ajla Tomljanovic next.
Now she has sent Kontaveit packing, the draw has opened up with Williams facing an unseeded path to the quarter-finals. Tunisian fifth seed Ons Jabeur, her doubles partner during his comeback in the grass swing earlier in 2022, is the next big name she is projected to meet in the last eight.
But despite her promising run, and even more promising tournament path, Williams is not getting carried away.
When asked if she could win the tournament during her post-match press conference, the 40-year-old said: “I cannot think that far.
“I'm here. I'm having fun and I'm enjoying it. Honestly, I've had so many tough matches the last I don't know how long that I just feel like just being prepared for everyone that I play is just going to be really, really difficult. Get through those moments.”
Williams says for the first time since her breakthrough win at the US Open in 1999 that she no longer has “a big red X” on her back.
“I feel like everything is a bonus,” she said.
“It’s that weird mixture of embracing but also staying focused. I just feel like I have had a big red X on my back since I won the US Open in '99.
“It's been there my entire career, because I won my first Grand Slam early in my career.
“But here it's different. I feel like I've already won, figuratively, mentally. It's just pretty awesome the things that I've done.
“I never accept that. I never think about it. So tonight I was just like, ‘Serena, you've already won, just play, be Serena. You're better than this.’ That's what I was able to do.”
While she has refused to use the R-word and dropped hints about playing beyond the US Open, it is widely expected that this tournament will be her last.
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