Serena Williams Beat the Odds—and the No. 2 Seed—To See Another Day at the U.S. Open

Photo credit: Tim Clayton – Corbis – Getty Images

Audiences should know by now that to ever doubt Serena Williams is simply out of the question. In a two-and-a-half-hour-long match on Wednesday night, the former six-time US Open champion defeated No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit 7-6, 2-6, 6-2.

Williams now advances to the third round at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York. Throughout her entire career at the US Open, she’s only missed the third round once—her first year at the tournament, back in 1998. However, this tournament will likely mark the tennis GOAT’s last shot at a Grand Slam, as well as her final attempt to tie Margaret Court’s record for the most singles titles of all time. “I mean, I’m just Serena,” Williams told the crowd after upsetting the No. 2 seed. “After I lost the second set, I thought, ‘Oh, my goodness, I got to give my best effort because this could be it.'”

On the road to a potential 24th title, Serena Williams will face off against Ajla Tomljanović from Australia, who is currently ranked No. 46 in the world on the WTA tour. The third round is the highest-placing in the 29-year-old’s career at the Open so far, though she previously made it to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon earlier this year. The two players have never faced each other before. “It’s going to be a huge moment no matter the outcome,” Tomljanović told reporters after her second-round match. “It’s a little surreal to me that I made it, and played in the same era as her.”

Williams will face Tomljanović this Friday, September 2, for the 21st third-round US Open match of Serena’s career. The match will be available to watch on ESPN, ESPN2, and the ESPN App. The official schedule has yet to be released, but they will likely face off in the primetime spot at 7 p.m. ET.

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