Serena Williams rolls into US Open semifinals, draws comparisons to Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan | Zagsblog
Recent Posts
About ZagsBlog
Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Follow Zags on Twitter
Couldn't connect with Twitter
Contact Zags
Connect with Zags:
Monday / October 14.
  • Serena Williams rolls into US Open semifinals, draws comparisons to Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan

    Share Zagsblog Share Zagsblog
    By ADAM ZAGORIA

    NEW YORK Serena Williams rolled into the US Open semifinals on Tuesday night, and is now two wins from her 24th career Grand Slam title, which would tie her with Margaret Court atop the all-time women’s list.

    Considered the GOAT of women’s tennis, Williams was compared by filmmaker Spike Lee to Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan among the all-time greats in sports.

    “To be compared to Ali or Jordan is just really, I really have no words,” No. 17 Williams said in her on-court interview after beating No. 8 Karolina Pliskova, 6-4, 6-3, in the quarterfinals in Arthur Ashe Stadium. “Namely Ali because he did so much for the sport. He did so much for the world and for everyone. For me, that’s what I want to be remembered for. It’s not what I do out here, it’s whether I can inspire people off the court so that’s my dream.”

    Williams avenged her 2016 semifinal loss to Pliskova and remains alive for her first US Open title since 2014 and her seventh overall. She will face No. 19 Anastasija Sevastova in the semifinals on Thursday after the Latvian dispatched defending US Open champ Sloane Stephens in brutal heat earlier Tuesday.

    Williams lost in the US Open semis in 2015 and ’16.

    “I want to just get past the semis here,” said Serena, who turns 37 later this month. “It’s been a few couple rough semis for me, but this has been a great road and I’m really excited. Hopefully you guys will be cheering and I’ll be here.”

    Down a break in the opening set, she reeled off eight straight games. With the win, she improved to 89-11 all-time in Ashe Stadium.

    “The crowd was really rooting for me and I felt so bad because everyone out here was cheering and I wasn’t winning and I thought, ‘I gotta try harder, I gotta do harder,’ so thank you guys so much,” Serena said.

    Williams missed the Open a year ago because of the birth of her daughter, Alexis Olympia. She has yet to win a tournament since her daughter’s birth, and lost in the Wimbledon final to Angelique Kerber. Now she is now just two wins shy of tying Court.

    “I really feel like I’m playing free because I was having a baby this time last year so I have nothing to prove,” she said. “I’m just on my way on the tour and doing the best I can.”

    Williams has now won 14 straight Grand Slam quarterfinals.

    “When I get to a Grand Slam and a major, I want to play really hard and I want to do really well,” she said. “I love it. I love this game and I love playing, so maybe that’s why.”

    Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

    And Like ZAGS on Facebook

    Written by

    [email protected]

    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

  • } });
    X