She won’t get her rematch with Osaka or record tying Grand Slam win, but the season’s just started.
Although the Australian Open is being played at times that make it difficult for those on the east coast to watch, fans were glued to their televisions earlier tonight as Serena Williams stepped onto the court to face Karolina Pliskova in the quarterfinals. At stake for Williams was a rematch with Naomi Osaka and another step closer to her record tying 24 Grand Slam win.
Unfortunately for Serena and all of her fans, Pliskova took down the GOAT, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, and advanced to the semis and a match against Osaka.
The seventh ranked, 26 year-old Czech player is now 2-2 against Williams, her second win coming today in a match that saw her survive four match points in a third set which Serena led 5-1 in before finally falling to her younger opponent.
“I was almost in the locker room, now I’m standing here as the winner. It’s a great feeling,” said Pliskova.
“My mind was in the locker room. I wasn’t playing very well in the third set but I thought let’s try, this game at 5-2. She got a little bit shaky in the end so I took my chances and I won.”
Serena was riding high after taking down the #1 seeded Simona Halep in a thrilling three-set match on Monday, but unfortunately she couldn’t muster enough energy to put away Pliskova.
Now we’ll all have to anxiously await Serena’s next appearance. But don’t fret, she’s still the GOAT.
