The Italian Job… Day 10 Wrap, Umbrellas and Williams v Vinci preview
It is difficult to know if it is just something in the water that the 30-somethings are looking to rule the roost in Flushing Meadows. Not content to have the most famous 30-something of the tennis world in the final (and shh… chasing history) but she will meet Italy’s Roberta Vinci, and now joining her in the semi-finals for the second time is Flavia Pennetta, with a 4-6 6-4 6-2 win over Petra Kvitova.
In blistering heat with half a court in shade and the other half bakingly not, Pennetta had to overcome the frustration of dropping the first set with a double fault to toil her way to levelling the match, while Kvitova really started to sap in the conditions. It has been a tough US Swing for the Czech, learning that she was suffering from mononucleosis and having to curtail her practice to play through.
So energy draining were the conditions, not to mention Pennetta was pulling Kvitova left and right, up and down the court that ESPN had to carry out its interview on the seats after the match.
“I was just trying to fight every ball, running and trying to push the most I can. I didn’t think I’d get through this match, I have to say. In the second set, I was really in trouble but I just kept going, playing, playing and, I mean, it’s unbelievable!”
“I’m sorry for [Kvitova]. I think it’s not a good feeling when you feel so tired and you cannot move really well. But, we played a really tough match, more than two hours, running everywhere. So she has to be proud of herself because she was playing until the last point!”
So if 3 30-somethings are home, dry and sitting with their feet up (because… you know … age and all that) it was down to the young whippersnappers of Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep to make up the full complement of semi-finalists.
Both looked as though they had been in the wars! Well Halep still had her thigh strapped from her bruising encounter with Sabine Lisicki, and Azarenka had discarded the bicep strapping for the chaffing rash from her outfit material for rocking the sleeves a la Milos Raonic (and for a short time Nick Kyrgios… she might have nicked them off both, that wild scamp)!
Strapping not withstanding, it was Halep that drew first blood with a break as the pair started slugging it out from the baseline, side to side. The Romanian’s tenacity just seemed to draw errors from Azarenka, who seemed to take a bit of time to get going, as the Romanian took her first set off her.
This certainly elicited a response from Azarenka, as she quickly ran out three games in a row, resulting in a fair bit of racquet thwacking by Halep. While the fans were hoping to relish another three-setter, with the organisers taking the measure of bringing Roger Federer’s match with Richard Gasquet forward, it was looking highly unlikely that their optimistic 7pm start was going to remotely happen.
As quickly as she had asserted herself though, Azarenka played two complete shockers to let Halep back in contention, giving herself some work to do as they traded breaks again. If we thought we were going to be in a runaway decider, well think again! The intensity of the rallies was looking promising… before the expected rains came with rain expected to be heavy for a prolonged period of time, with the score halted at: Azarenka 3-6 6-4 2-1 15/40 Halep
Semi-Final Previews
Serena Williams v Roberta Vinci
After the emotionally charged quarter-final between the sisters, with a lovely moment at the net for them, Serena Williams remains on course for history, this time with Roberta Vinci. Vinci has yet to even take a set off Williams, in four outings, but she has been playing some of the best tennis of her career. Having enjoyed a couple of years in the Top 20, Vinci’s form took a downturn in 2014, as she dropped to just inside the Top 50, although her doubles career continued apace with Sara Errani before they decided to call time on their partnership.
She certainly had a decent run of matches coming into the tournament, and her run to the semi-finals has been eventful, with three setters all the way, but then Williams has hardly been breezing around New York with ease.
Vinci will be throwing in a lot of slices, short balls and she is not afraid of coming in to the net. Williams is not averse to a bit of handy net play and will have to mix up her game accordingly, if she cannot take full control of the games and dictate from the baseline.
Williams in 2.
Tidbits
– Last time Pennetta made it to the semi-finals she lost to Victoria Azarenka and if she reaches the semi-final, she has a shot at re-entering the Top 20
– Pennetta finished the 2014 season at No. 13, which was her highest finish since 2009 (12).
– Williams is now on a 32-match winning streak in the Grand Slams – her last loss was to Alize Cornet in the third round.
Ros Satar is a regular contributor to 10sballs.com and runs Britwatch Sports (@britwatchsports), because we Brits like watching sport. Occasionally we’re good at it.
Topics: 2015 U.S. Open, Flavia Pennetta, Ladies tennis, Petra Kvitova, Roberta Vinci, Ros Satar, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta
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