WILLIAMS GIRL POWER: VENUS WINS AT U.S. OPEN TENNIS AFTER BECOMING AN AUNT, AS SERENA HAS HER DAUGHTER

Written by: on 1st September 2017
USA TENNIS US OPEN 2017
WILLIAMS GIRL POWER: VENUS WINS AT U.S. OPEN TENNIS AFTER BECOMING AN AUNT, AS SERENA HAS HER DAUGHTER

epa06178103 Venus Williams of the US hits a return to Maria Sakkari of Greece on the fifth day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 01 September 2017. The US Open runs through September 10. EPA-EFE/PETER FOLEY  |

By Ricky Dimon

 

Serena Williams gave birth to a daughter on Friday afternoon. If you’re wondering whether or not it’s too late for her to get a wild card into the U.S. Open now that she’s no longer pregnant, well…yes…it’s just a bit too late.

 

Although Serena will be cradling an infant and not a trophy this fortnight, the title still has a chance of going to the Williams family. That’s because just a few hours after becoming an aunt, Venus got the job done in her third-round match 6-3, 6-4 over Maria Sakkari. The 37-year-old prevailed despite double-faulting eight times without striking a single ace. She played one stinker of a game that went double-fault, double-fault, double-fault, double-fault. That’s right; Venus was broken at love on four doubles.

 

Still, a win is a win. And any win is especially good in round three of a Grand Slam.

 

But if the press wanted to talk about babies rather than tennis (and they did), they went home disappointed. Venus was not there for baby talk.

 

“I’m definitely available to answer questions about tennis,” the American said when, unsurprisingly, the first question was about Serena’s offspring. “That’s all right now.”

 

So they asked Sloane Stephens instead.

 

“Well, I was playing a match (during the birth),” Stephens explained after beating Ashleigh Barty. “Then I was eating and playing another match, so I missed all of the good stuff. I would say bringing a child into this world is probably the biggest blessing. I am very happy for her. I cannot wait to see the little baby girl on tour because I am sure she will be around.”

 

Garbine Muguruza, a straight-set winner over Magdalena Rybarikova, can wait for little Williams to be on tour.

 

“Baby girl? I hope she doesn’t play tennis,” Muguruza joked. “Well, I’m very happy for [Serena]. I mean, such a good moment.”

 

Cards will surely be flooding Serena’s mailbox in the near future. And whoever ends up winning the U.S. Open title should send her two: one as a congratulations on the baby and a second as a thank you for not playing this tournament. Because let’s be honest; it’s a lot easier to win a tournament when Serena isn’t player. The rest of the field needs to strike while the iron’s hot, because a Williams is coming in 2018.

 

And another Williams may be coming in 2038.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

 

A great joy is coming… @serenawilliams is reportedly in labor. – Photo by @usopen via Instagram.

 

Topics: , , , , , , , , , , ,








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA thumbnail

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife thumbnail

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos
ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS thumbnail

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.