Serena Williams overcame yet another hurdle in her bid for another Grand Slam title as she progresses into the semi-finals of the US Open after fighting back from a set and a break down to beat Tsvetana Pironkova. It was the hard way through for the six-time US Open champion who secured the 4-6 6-3 6-2 victory to continue her quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title held by Australian Margaret Court. Pironkova was an unranked player at the tournament after taking a three-year break from tennis to start a family. The unseeded player lost just five points on her serve in the opening set. Watch the match highlights below… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Lmdc_Zsa8 Serena Williams will battle Victoria Azarenka who beat Elise Mertens, next in the semi-finals. Related:
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Williams, earlier in the tournament, admitted that it’s challenging managing the pressure that’s been heaped on her shoulders. She says: “Sometimes it’s harder than others. Every day having ‘Serena’ on your back is a massive target for the tour, for press, for stress,” “But as Billie Jean King said, pressure is a privilege. So, I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Despite having won 105 matches at the US Open during her career, Williams still found it tough going against Pironkova. The Bulgarian controlled the match early on using her sliced forehand to disrupt Williams and sent her racing all over the court. Williams eventually settled as it went on and started to use her power to finish the rallies despite starting the second set slowly. Pironkova let it all slide in the final set after she allowed some unforced errors to creep into her game. Williams capitalised fully and was happy with her exploits. “I was feeling it a little bit in my legs [early on]. For whatever reason, about an hour in I got some more energy,” “I’m going to try to figure that out. I play again on Thursday and I guess the good thing is that I’m used to playing back to back, to back. “I kept fighting and that’s one thing I’m super excited about,” she says. “I never give up and I’ve got to keep on going.” The women’s singles quarter-final stage featured three mothers – Williams, Pironkova and Azarenka – and the American shared how it felt to face a fellow mother in the latter stages of a Slam. Her words: “It just shows me how tough moms are, when you birth a baby it shows me that you can do anything,” “You play a match, then you go home and you’re still changing diapers. It’s like a double life, it’s really surreal. “She played unbelievably today,” Williams adds about Pironkova. “She’s incredible.“
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