The undisputed world No 1's dreams of winning a calendar
Grand Slam di!ed on the Arthur Ashe stadium when she was dramatically knocked
out of the US Open semi-finals by largely unheralded Italian Roberta Vinci.
The world No1 came to this stage after beating her sister, the 32-year-old Italian, ranked No 43 in the world,
displayed astonishing sangfroid to reach her first Major final with a 2-6 6-4
6-4 victory that nearly blew the arena's half-constructed roof off In an incredibly composed final game as she served it out,
hitting two half volleys at the net to take it to love and consign Williams's
dreams to history.
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The line-up for the final requires a sharp intake of breath:
Vinci versus her compatriot Flavia Pennetta. 'It's an incredible moment for me,
it's amazing, like a dream to be in the final. I lost the first set but tried
to stay in every single game. It's the best moment of my life,' said Vinci.
Williams has got into trouble so many times at the Majors
this year, and overall this was her 20th three-setter of the season, having won
18 of them previously. Sooner or later she was going to dance with the devil once
too often.
The American had only needed to dispose of one Italian
veteran, and then beat another on Saturday to complete the calendar Slam, and
become only the fourth woman to do so, the first since Steffi Graf in 1988.
This was surely her best and final chance as she turns 34 this month.
The pressure will only have been added to by knowing that
she would face Pennetta, semi-finalist here in 2013 but generally better known
as an outstanding doubles player.
That appointment was set up when the 26th seed shocked a
desperately below par world number two Simona Halep 6-1 6-3, with the Romanian
seeming to be flat following her gruelling quarter final against Victoria
Azarenka
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