Serena Williams Survives Alison Riske To Reach The Semifinals at Wimbledon Championships 2019

Published 07/09/2019, 10:12 AM EDT

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Yesterday, Alison Riske flipped the story of Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty’s quarterfinal at Wimbledon Championships 2019 as she battled past against the World Number one tennis player. In the all-American quarterfinal, Serena Williams knocked down Riske 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and progressed into the semifinals at Wimbledon. 

Despite, Serena Williams serving three aces in the first set, her service game was taken away by Riske and the former World Number 36, lead by 3-1 in the opening set. Serena had the opportunity to break back to love, but her return was called out and she hesitated to challenge and the ball had bounced on the baseline. Nevertheless, she retrieved her service game at 3-3.

via Imago

The grass courter Alison Riske, returned a few winners snatched away a game from her Serena once again, but the six-time Wimbledon champion’s backhand returns neutralized the break of serve at 4-4. Serena Williams came up with un-returnable serves and slammed consecutive aces and took a lead of 5-4.

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With Riske playing an error-stern service game, moved Williams one step closer to the semifinal spot as she held the set at 6-4, it was the 197th set for Serena at SW19 with that she surpassed Billie Jean King’s tally of singles sets won at Wimbledon. 

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Before this match, Riske had lost the first set three times in the tournament and she bounced back from the set trails. And to no one’s surprise, Alison Riske came up with remarkable tennis in that nerve-wracking set. Riske amped up her aggressive form of tennis she earned a breakpoint at 4-4. She converted with a low forehand volley and closed out the set by serving to love. 

via Imago

Serena Williams quickly re-taped her ankle in the before playing the final set and she happened to drop her first service game on the decider set, but nevertheless, she sprinted to take a 3-1, with Riske double-faulting on the breakpoint. Until then, Riske had a hundred percent proficiency in converting her break points and maintaining that rhythm, she held the break with a backhand winner.

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Serena was blazing her textbook returns and Alison was compelling the legend to commit mistakes and her terrific fighting spirits aided her to hold at 3-3. Williams held the next game after striking the 17th ace of the match.

A ripped forehand from Serena Williams earned her two break points. She held the major break of serve as Riske double-faulted. With the 19th ace of the match, Williams closed out the quarterfinal encounter 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. 

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Mahalakshmi Murali

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Mahalakshmi Murali joined EssentiallySports in 2018 as a tennis author and has gone on to pen more than 1800 engaging articles, probing into various aspects of the sport and its illustrious players. With her expertise on the sport, Mahalakshmi has interviewed stalwarts from the sport such as Serena WIlliams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou and Kevin Anderson’s physio, Carlos Costa. Equipped with her vast experience and a keen understanding of the sport, Mahalakshmi now co-heads the tennis department.
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