US OPEN 2007: Serena Upset By Justine

World #1 Justine Henin defeated Serena Williams 7-6(3) 6-1 in the first Women's Quarterfinal at the 2007 U.S. Open last night in New York. This is the third consecutive time Justine has beaten Serena at a Grand Slam tournament this year, on three different surfaces (clay in Paris, grass in London and hard courts in New York). The first set was a very tight, intense match-up, with both players earning set points (Justine saved a set point at 5-6, 30-40 with a clever slice serve to the forehand and Serena saved two set points at 3-5, 15-40 with powerful serving) prior to the tiebreaker. In the tiebreak, the very first point was won by Serena after a thrilling 23-stroke rally but it was Justine who upped her game afterwards and won three of the next four points and the tiebreaker 7-3. In the second set Justine broke early and then started swinging away freely, under coach and father figure Carlos Rodriguez' specific instructions.

After the match, Serena turned in an even more dismal performance at her mandatory post-match press conference. Here are some excerpts:

Q. Can you explain what went wrong out there tonight?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I can't. I'm sorry. Any more questions?

Q. Do you think fitness was an issue in this match?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm very fit. I can run for hours.

Q. So what do you think was the difference tonight?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I just said I can't explain that right now. I just don't know, so I can't help you there.

You guys I think watched it. Maybe you can analyze it better. I haven't been able to watch it yet.


Q. Can you describe your emotions after the match? Are you devastated by this loss?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I'm very happy.

Q. You fought pretty hard to get back into the first set. She played a good tiebreak. Second set, your level seemed to drop.

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I just think she played better. I just think she made a lot of lucky shots, and I made a lot of errors. I don't think my level dropped.

Q. Isn't it making errors when your level drops?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I guess it is in a way, maybe my level did drop. I definitely made a lot of errors. I think she just played a little bit more aggressive and started hitting really, really hard balls.

[...]

Q. Did she play as strong tonight as she ever has in previous times you faced her?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, she played real strong tonight.


Q. Just talk about your serve. It's the one thing you can usually depend on. It wasn't one of your best serving days either.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it definitely wasn't my best serving day. Yeah, it wasn't my best today. I served better in my other rounds.

Q. Did you feel going into the match the way you normally feel when you're playing a big match against her or was there something missing?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I was really excited to go into it. I was ready. I was really ready to play.

Q. You've said you feel very strongly that when you're playing your best you can beat anybody in the world. Has this match done anything to change that feeling or do you still feel that way?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Do you think I played my best?

Q. No, I don't.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Okay, well, then...

Q. Are you saying that you lost the match rather than Justine won it?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think that's usually the case with me, that it's for me to win or lose.

Q. You seem much more disappointed than Paris or London.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Do I?

Q. You do.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Go figure.

Q. Figure what, though? Where is it coming from? Did you feel like you were peaking, this was your?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I mean, I'm just ‑‑ I really don't feel like talking about it, to be honest. It's like I don't want to get fined. That's the only reason I came (laughter). I can't afford to pay the fines because I keep losing.

Any more questions?

Serena has been widely criticized for these surly comments, especially the "lucky shots" remark. If you read the transcript it is clear she does give some credit to Henin, but her body language and tone were communicating her extreme reluctance to be there as well as disappointment and anger.