SERENA WILLIAMS HEADS TO NEW YORK CITY FOR THE U.S. OPEN WITH THE CINCINNATI TROPHY AND MOMENTUM

Written by: Staff on 23rd August 2015

SERENA WILLIAMS HEADS TO NEW YORK CITY FOR THE U.S. OPEN WITH THE CINCINNATI TROPHY AND MOMENTUM

epa04895433 Serena Williams of the US holds up the winner's trophy after defeating Simona Halep of Romania in the final of the Western & Southern Open at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 23 August 2015. EPA/TANNEN MAURY |

It is fair to say it has been an up and down tournament for Williams, rarely looking happy with her performance, and at times on Sunday looking like she was in pain as Simona Halep showed us once more what she can do.

For Halep, it was a useful come-back after a decent spring and (by her standards over the past few years) a pretty rocky period on the dirt and on the grass.

The Romanian has had to grit herself out of some tough matches this week, but with it she reclaims the World No. 2 title from Maria Sharapova, who has been blighted with injury, and had to withdraw before the tournament started, to give herself the best possible chance to prepare for New York.

What has been a trial for Williams was missing Stanford, but she has not been devoid of injury woes too this year, with her elbow having caused her grief throughout the year.

Halep certainly started the brighter of the pair, but she awoke Williams, who clawed her way back from a 1-3 deficit to take the first set. Oh but the feisty little Romanian was not done yet, hanging tough to push the second set to a tie-break and she almost had that chance to take it to a decider, but for a drop shot that cruelly fell just short.

“I don’t know why I did, but I was tired, and in that moment I thought it’s the best idea to give her a drop-shot. But wasn’t. It was okay. I knew that she is going to be very tough. She was very motivated at the beginning and during the match. At the end as well. So it was a good match, and she deserves the title.

“I have a lot of confidence because I played tough matches and I won difficult matches. So I’m pretty sure that I have a good game now. I can win matches. I feel good on court. I’m a little bit tired, but it’s normal after many matches. I’m okay and I’m looking forward to have next match.”

A great smile at the net from Halep, she can be proud of a great run and some good wins under her belt, but she is also headed to New Haven to lead that draw.

Serena Williams of the US (R) and Simona Halep of Romania (R) pose together after Williams defeated Halep in the final of the Western & Southern Open at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 23 August 2015. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

Meanwhile Serena is ever the perfectionist knew she had been tested this week, and assessed her performance: “I definitely feel there is room for improvement. I think that playing Simona really tested me, and I felt like I was up for the challenge and up for the test.

“Final grade, I’m not sure yet. But I do know that ‑‑ I think everyone here knows there is room for improvement for me and I can do better. At least I’m on the right track of going up and not back.”

Final Observations about Cincinnati

I have loved every minute of this tournament – right from the start with a last pass credential, the hotel organisers could not do enough for us (a real contrast from my experiences at Indian Wells this year).

The volunteers have been amazing – some of the friendliest I have seen at any tournament in the US and in Europe, and again they cannot do enough for you – from printing out stuff to even adjusting a hole-punch to UK dimensions!

On the subject of the food, my good friends and colleagues Ben Rothenberg and Courtney Nguyen saw my Graeter’s ice cream challenge, and raised me the chance to try some slightly more authentic American cuisine. On the menu were Cincinnati Skyline chilli, sliders of various descriptions, burritos, ubiquitous burgers (some good some baaddddd) and the ice-cream. OH the ice-cream!

Photos by Ros Satar for 10sBalls_com.

I decided to end this week with a Graeter’s shake after an impromptu tennis hit on court (I pity the poor spectators watching two tubby-ish journos hitting a ball about!) – the Chocolate shake was a perfect way to end the proceedings, along with the fantastically named Bumblebee Stew.

Here I respectfully put to my editor a chance to cover this great tournament again.

But for now it is back to Blighty, but looking forward to the US Open.

Ros Satar is a regular contributor for 10sballs.com and runs her own site Britwatch Sports (@britwatchsports). Follow her on Twitter @rfsatar

Topics: Cincinnati, Ros Satar, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Sports, Tennis, Western and Southern Open, Wta

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10sBalls_com says:

August 23, 2015 at 4:49 pm

-@serenawilliams HEADS TO NEW YORK CITY FOR THE @usopen WITH THE #Cincinnati TROPHY AND MOMENTUM- http://t.co/1X9rhydpiE #WSOpen #tennis
ElenaFoundation says:

August 24, 2015 at 3:50 am

Congratulations to @serenawilliams for her #cincinnati win! http://t.co/8CXpIQwzI0 (news via our good friends @10sBalls_com)