US Open: Serena Williams ends Petra Martic’s run in New York
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Petra Martić (Photo credit: Mario Ćužić/HTS)
NEW YORK, 1 September 2019 – 6-time US Open champion Serena Williams has ended Petra Martic’s run at the US Open on Sunday.
Williams, who is the tournament’s 8th seed, advanced to the quarter-finals on the year’s last Grand Slam with a hard-fought straight sets win over the 22nd seed Croatian on Arthur Ashe stadium.
The opening set went on serve until the first break came in the 8th game. Down 40-15, Williams would win four points in a row, sealing the break with a backhand winner to lead 5-3. She would hold serve in the next game, saving two break points in the process, to take the first set 6-3.
Martic hit the only two aces of the opening set and was almost at 80% at the net, but Williams made three times as many winners which was the key.
The second set went on serve until the 5th game when Williams would get the break with a forehand volley winner to lead 3-2. Martic could not carve out a break to get back in the set and Williams would close out the match 6-3, 6-4 in just over one and a half hours.
Williams now faces world No. 18, Qiang Wang from China for a place in the semi-finals.
It has been a great year for Martic, who has now reached the last 16 at all four Grand Slams. She enjoyed victories in New York over 12th seed Anastasija Sevastova, Ana Bogdan and Tamara Zidansek.
