Venus Williams upsets Flipkens at US Open
Updated: 2013-08-27 10:28
(Agencies)
|
|||||||||
Venus Williams of the US serves to Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium at the US Open tennis championships in New York, August 26, 2013. [Photo/Agencies] |
NEW YORK (AP) — Venus Williams had been 14-0 in the first round of the US Open, though she never had to face an opponent ranked in the top 30 at that stage.
Williams was usually the seeded player, but after two years of illness and injury, the seven-time major champion was the one pulling the upset Monday when she defeated Wimbledon semifinalist Kirsten Flipkens.
Her ranking down to No 60, Williams beat the 12th-seeded Flipkens 6-1, 6-2 for one of her biggest wins since she pulled out of this tournament two years ago because of Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease.
"For me, I stay positive because I know I can play great tennis," Williams said. "Sometimes you just have to go through more than what you want to go through. Sometimes you have to have losses. When I had losses, it always motivates me a lot to do better and to work harder."
The 33-year-old looked strong Monday, purple braids poking out of her visor that matched her floral dress. Williams fought off three break points at 2-2 in the second set in a game that went to six deuces.
Bothered by a lower back injury, Williams was playing just her third event since a first-round loss at the French Open. She hadn't defeated a top-20 opponent since last October.
"I realize that I haven't had a lot of chances to play this year or a lot of chances to play healthy this year, have had injuries and what have you," she said. "So I'm just going to have to keep working my way into it maybe more than some of the other players. But I know I can do that."
Flipkens, meanwhile, had been enjoying a career year. The Belgian had never reached the round of 16 at a major tournament before the Australian Open, then made her run at Wimbledon.
- 'Despicable' minions upset Depp's 'Lone Ranger' at box office
- 'Taken 2' grabs movie box office crown
- Rihanna's 'Diamonds' tops UK pop chart
- Fans get look at vintage Rolling Stones
- Celebrities attend Power of Women event
- Ang Lee breaks 'every rule' to make unlikely new Life of Pi film
- Rihanna almost thrown out of nightclub
- 'Dark Knight' wins weekend box office
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Laws needed for animal protection |
Righting the wrongs of patent rights |
Universities seek more enrollment from abroad |
Public opposition defuses nuke plans |
New study reveals corruption pattern |
Wild Africa: The new attraction to Chinese tourists |
Today's Top News
Global expertise a scarce asset for employers
Japan suspends rocket launch at last minute
Affluent Chinese pursue overseas properties
Sino-Japanese meeting at G20 ruled out
New time limits for visa processing
China joins global effort to combat tax evasion
Party's plenum to focus on reform
Chinese negotiator in DPRK
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |