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Home , Elina Svitolina, Heather Watson, Madison Keys, Margarita Gasparyan, Timea Bacsinszky, Vitalia Diatchenko

C M Y K Nxxx,2015-08-31,F,002,Bs-4C,E1 C M Y K Nxxx,2015-08-31,F,001,Bs-4C,E1 C M Y K Nxxx,2015-08-31,F,02A,Sc-4C,E1 C M Y K Nxxx,2015-08-31,F,002B,Sc-4C,E1 C M Y K Nxxx,2015-08-31,F,011,Bs-4C,E1

F2 N THE NEW YORK TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

8 A LOOK BACK F2A N THE NEW YORK TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 THE NEW YORK TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 N F2B THE NEW YORK TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 N F11 In bids, pressure may ‘‘I always dreamt of winning be the most formidable opponent. the U.S. Open. I have TITLES U.S. OPEN PREVIEW A GRAND SLAM JOURNEY 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015 TITLES WIMBLEDON TITLES 9 A LOOK AHEAD U.S. OPEN PREVIEW A GRAND SLAM JOURNEY U.S. OPEN TITLES always dreamt of winning 2002, 2013, 2015 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 U.S. OPEN PREVIEW A GRAND SLAM JOURNEY ● Players to watch at the Open 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014 (other than ). the Grand Slam.’’ — SERENA WILLIAMS ILL, BUT AT EASE MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015 F1 JOYFUL REDEMPTION N GRIT ON CLAY A STEP FROM HISTORY SICKNESS AND SHARAPOVA CAN’T DENY A SIXTH AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE A SIXTH TITLE AT THE ALL ENGLAND CLUB, A YEAR AFTER A PAINFUL EXIT U.S. Open HEALTH PROBLEMS (AGAIN), BUT A 20TH GRAND SLAM SINGLES CROWN THE TASK IN QUEENS: COMPLETE THE FIRST CALENDAR-YEAR SLAM SINCE 1988

PREVIEW

The Challenge That Lies Ahead Down Under One Slam Down, Serena Williams’s home And Rising Wobbling, Grand Slam tournament One to Go has been the site of several Four and a half months But Winning milestones. She has won after winning the 2014 Serena Williams Serena Williams dis- the U.S. Open six times, in- U.S. Open without dropped a set in five patched longtime rivals cluding the last three. She One Chapter losing a set, Serena matches, including and players who had claimed her first major title Williams had a one to 105th-ranked looked up to her when here at age 17 in 1999. In To Complete severe cold for much Anna-Lena Friedsam. they were children to 2008, after five years of of the Australian As in Australia, Wil- complete her second battling injuries and incon- In trips to Melbourne, Paris Open and even liams battled an so-called Serena Slam, sistency, she won the title and Wimbledon this year, threw up during the illness in the late holding all four Grand in New York and reclaimed Serena Williams picked up final. But she defeat- stages of the tourna- Slam singles titles at the No. 1 ranking. Last year, the championship trophies ed her longtime rival ment and spent the same time. She she failed to advance past as souvenirs. If she adds for most of the day also achieved the feat the fourth round of any another U.S. Open trophy after winning the 2003 the 16th consecutive before the final sick major until she arrived in to her collection, she will be Australian Open. time to end a four- in bed. But she still Queens, where she began the first player since Steffi year title drought in emerged with her a year of dominance. Graf in 1988 — and only TURNING POINTS Australia. second title in Paris the sixth player ever — to in three years. of Britain THE DRAW served for the match complete a calendar-year TURNING POINTS No path to a Grand Slam TURNING POINTS against Williams in the Grand Slam. Williams was confronted title is easy, but Williams’s Against Timea Bacsin- third round, twice coming Nearing her 34th birthday, with the future of draw is a fitting challenge szky in the semifinals, two points from a victory. repeatedly, knocking Williams is on the brink of a Williams was down by a “How I pulled through, I to complete her quest. In out the rising stars singular achievement. But set and a break at 2-3 in really don’t know,” Williams her quarter alone are the , Garbiñe if she wins in New York, the second, then reeled said. In the next round, rising Americans Sloane Muguruza and Madison she will write her name in off 10 straight games to she faced her sister Stephens, Keys. In the fourth round a few other places in the win the match. Against Venus, their first meeting and CoCo Vandeweghe; record book. She will tie against Muguruza, Wil- Lucie Safarova in the in a Grand Slam event her sister Venus; and the liams dropped the first Graf’s Open-era record of final, Williams was down, since 2009. Swiss phenom Belinda 22 Grand Slam singles titles set but avenged a loss in 0-2, in the third set but Bencic, one of only two and will set an Open-era the second round of last won the last six games THE JOURNEY players to beat Williams record for U.S. Open cham- year’s French Open. of the match. this year. Possibly waiting ROUND 1 pionships, with seven. in the semifinals is Maria THE JOURNEY Def. Sharapova, who has not Williams’s results in her title THE JOURNEY 6-4, 6-1 defeated Williams in 11 matches this year: ROUND 1 ROUND 1 ROUND 2 years but could play the Def. Def. Andrea Hlavackova AUSTRALIAN OPEN Def. Timea Babos ultimate spoiler. 6-0, 6-4 6-2, 6-3 Def. Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-1 ROUND 2 ROUND 2 THE HISTORY 6-3, 7-6 (5) ROUND 3 Def. Def. Anna-Lena Friedsam A Grand Slam has been Def. Heather Watson FRENCH OPEN 7-5, 6-0 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 completed at the U.S. Open 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 six times. Two players, Jack Def. Lucie Safarova ROUND 3 ROUND 3 ROUND 4 Crawford in 1933 and Lew 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 Def. Elina Svitolina Def. Hoad in 1956, entered the 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 Def. WIMBLEDON 6-4, 6-3 U.S. Championships with a Def. Garbiñe Muguruza ROUND 4 ROUND 4 chance at a calendar-year QUARTERFINAL 6-4, 6-4 Def. Garbiñe Muguruza Def. Grand Slam but lost in the Def. Victoria Azarenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 final. U.S. OPEN 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 won the first three majors QUARTERFINAL QUARTERFINAL Final, Sept. 12 SEMIFINAL of 1984, but in those years, Def. Dominika Cibulkova Def. Def. Maria Sharapova the Australian Open was ≥ 6-2, 6-2 6-1, 6-3 Serena Williams’s 6-2, 6-4 the final Grand Slam event journey — Slam by SEMIFINAL SEMIFINAL of the season. Navratilova FINAL Slam — begins on Def. Madison Keys Def. lost in the semifinals. Def. Garbiñe Muguruza Page F2. 7-6 (5), 6-2 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 6-4, 6-4 FINAL FINAL Def. Maria Sharapova Def. Lucie Safarova 6-3, 7-6 (5) 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2

SCRAPBOOK BY HOLLY BRAFORD; PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY CENICOLA/THE NEW YORK TIMES SCRAPBOOK BY HOLLY BRAFORD; SCRAPBOOK BY HOLLY BRAFORD; PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY CENICOLA/THE NEW YORK TIMES PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY CENICOLA/THE NEW YORK TIMES ‘Growing up, I wasn’t the richest. But I had a rich family in spirit and support, ‘I think it’d be awesome. But at the end of the day, it’s pretty awesome to ‘At the beginning of the year, this is the one I really wanted to win. SCRAPBOOK BY HOLLY BRAFORD; and standing here with 19 championships is something I never thought would happen. So that was the first thing and the main thing on my mind.’ PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY CENICOLA/THE NEW YORK TIMES have 20. Obviously, I would love to win a Grand Slam. I haven’t done great ‘I always dreamt of winning the U.S. Open. I have always I went on the courts with just a ball and a racket and a hope, and that’s all I had.’ at Wimbledon the past two years, so I’m going to take it a day at a time there.’ JULY 11, after winning her sixth Wimbledon title OPEN PAGE dreamt of winning the Grand Slam. Again, it was just a dream. NEXT STOP: LONDON NEXT STOP: NEW YORK JAN. 31, after winning her sixth Australian Open title NEXT STOP: PARIS JUNE 6, after winning her third French Open title, referring to a possible Grand Slam I never thought I would be close to doing something like that.’ AUG. 27, four days before her first-round match with

SCRAPBOOK BY HOLLY BRAFORD; PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY CENICOLA/THE NEW YORK TIMES FROM THE ARCHIVES

The New York Times has followed Se- courses in two tournaments. For one year-old follow-up act to her big sister Jan. 25, 2003 run the Serena Slam, an allusion to Ti- More Dominannt Than Ever Serena Williams has been the top-ranked woman in the world six times and has rena Williams’s career since 1990, when sister to survive, there was the possibil- phenom, Venus, captured the women’s Completion of first Serena Slam ger Woods’s similar achievement in AUSTRALIAN OPEN FRENCH OPEN WIMBLEDON U.S. OPEN New Resilience she was an 8-year-old in Compton, Calif. ity she would have to eliminate the oth- championship at the United States golf. Defeats her sister Venus in the been No.1 for the past 30 months. In July,, she became the first No.1 WTA player Cuts her foot on broken glass, Here are excerpts from The Times’s er. Open in her first appearance in a Grand Four Major Titles in Row, But whatever she or we choose to call finals of the French Open, with more than twice the rankinng points of the No. 2 player. days after winning Wimbledon. R128 R64 R32 R16 QF SF F R128 R64 R32 R16 QF SF F R128 R64 R32 R16 QF SF F R128 R64 R32 R16 QF SF F For Williams coverage of some of her significant mo- If it seems a little unnatural, well, it is. Slam final. it, there is no question that Serena’s Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. 1998 ments at Grand Slam events. Venus and Serena are clearly each oth- Williams’s breakthrough, coupled And Even Sister Is Awed achievement is one of the most remark- 2,500 pts. ahead When Serena Williams wins the first er’s best friend. But because there is no with the advance of Andre Agassi and able of the past decade in women’s 1999 set at a Grand Slam event, she wins Jan. 19, 1998 MELBOURNE, Australia — Less room for a best friend at the pinnacle of Todd Martin to the men’s final, guaran- sports, all the more so considering that the match 97 percent of the time. Their Impact? Unmatched Grand Slam tournament debut than a year ago, after she had to with- 2000 this profession, they have decided to be teed the century’s final Open a patriotic draw from the Australian Open with a the depth and talent continue to in- Before this year, when she lost the each other’s best enemy, too. denouement, its first American-born sprained ankle, she was still trying to crease in women’s tennis, along with 2001 first set, she came back to win the On a Collision Course That thought caused both of them, sit- champions since Jimmy Connors and Ranked No. 1 catch up with her big sister. But in a the physical demands. match ( ) 46 percent of the time. Ruling and Redefining Women’s Tennis, Influenced a Generation With a Best Friend ting on a sofa in a hotel lobby Sunday on prevailed in 1982. “‘I never get choked up, never, but Wins the U.S. Open, her 2002 the eve of their Australian Open initia- “Oh, my God, I won, oh my God,” the breathtaking, fist-pumping, title- first major, at age 17. gobbling hurry, Serena Williams has be- I’m really emotional right now and real- 2003 MELBOURNE, Australia — They are tions, to shrug their beaded heads, pro- jubilant Williams mouthed, clasping ly, really happy,” she said, beginning to TWO-SET THREE-SET For a sizable portion of nearly two transfor- Who could resist occasionally posing that tient with the status quo, bored and resentful of its come one of the greats. the hottest novelty act in this tennis- ducing a muted clatter like a rattle- both hands to her thumping heart, after cry. “I’d like to thank my mom and dad 2,500 pts. behind 2004 MATCHES MATCHES mative decades, one family surname has competi- question since the late 1990s, when the sisters — repetition. So let’s consider what a Williams-less crazed city, and the act heated up on snake’s warning note. Hingis motored a double-handed back- She confirmed it today at Arena, maintaining her edge over her for always supporting me.” 2005 tively dominated tennis and continually inundated born 15 months apart, African-American outliers STRONG SERVE tour might have been like had Richard Williams, schedule today at the Australian Open. “I wouldn’t want to see Serena not hand out of bounds on Williams’s third Lost its news. Think about how an emerging genera- from gritty Compton, Calif. — began to lay siege to the family patriarch, never created his most im- older sibling Venus by a much slimmer They are the first players in the 35- IS ABOUT MORE Serena Williams, 16, pulled off a ma- succeed; that would be selfish of me,” match point. That sealed a 6-3, 7-6 (4) year Open era to have played in four 2006 tion of female players has never a sport historically and overwhelmingly trending probable blueprint. said Venus, who is ranked 16th. “I al- upset for the youngest of the five Wil- margin than usual to win this year’s jor opening-day upset to set up a pos- consecutive major finals, and the 21- Won known a tour without the headlining wealthy and white? THAN POWER “In Serena’s case, we would miss probably Australian Open, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4, and be- 2007 HARVEY sible second-round match with her 17- ways knew that Serena would be my liams sisters, the one who calls herself year-old Serena has won all four. To- Completes her first Has surgery to Misses six months with a ArrivesA unseeded at the Wins the U.S. Open Doctors find a blood clot Wins Wimbledon, her first Comes to the U.S. Williams sisters, Venus and Serena. Back then, there was resistance to the take- the greatest player of all time,” said Patrick Mou- year-old sister, Venus. Playing on cen- main nemesis one day.” ROBIN FINN the family extrovert. come only the fifth woman to hold all Serena Williams, with day’s victory gave her a 6-5 career edge “Serena Slam.” repair a tear in her knee injury; has said she was AustralianA Open; wins. Says and returns to No.1. in one of her lungs. major title in two years. Open in a quest to 2008 ARATON Some telling perspective on the over. Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine women’s ratoglou, her coach, dispensing with the formality ter court, Serena defeated sixth-seeded “It’s really amazing; I was always the four Grand Slam singles titles at once. over Venus in matches, as well as a ca- left knee. coping with depression. she intends to return to No. 1. become the first player subject from Garbiñe Muguruza, 21, tennis without Venus, 35, its elder stateswoman, accuracy under pressure of her being one major title short of Graf’s 22 in Irina Spirlea of , 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1. Sept. 11, 1999 one who said, ‘I want to win the U.S. “It’s really special to have come such 2009 This year, Williams has lost the first ON reer edge in Grand Slam titles. She now since , in who grew up in Venezuela and and Serena, going on 34 and a United States Open the Open era and three shy of ’s 24 The Williamses’ sister act is getting First Grand Slam singles title Open,’ and Venus, she always wanted a long way,” she said. set a career-high seven times (four TENNIS and shrewd placement, has five to Venus’s four. Spain: title away from completing tennis’s first calendar- over all. “But both of them have done so much for more complicated than the elaborate Wimbledon,” said Williams, who fielded It was not quite a true Grand Slam, Loses in the first round at the 1988, to win all four 2010 at the French Open), but has come “You have a great champion,” the 22- “When I was 4 or 5, I turned on the TV, and year Grand Slam since Steffi Graf’s in 1988. has developed the most the sport because they have brought it to another weave of beads and braids in the identi- The Realization a congratulatory call from President which requires winning the Australian French Open, the first and only major tournaments in year-old Venus told the crowd in her 2011 back to win all seven matches. they were playing,” said Muguruza, Serena’s vic- The sisters do not need Clarence the Angel to effective serve on the level on the court and because, yes, of their story.” cal, inimitable hairdos that make ano- Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea. Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and time in a Grand Slam event. the same year. Of a Childhood Dream the United States Open in the same cal- postmatch remarks. “Now she’s won all 2012 She has won the U.S. Open the tim in last month’s Wimbledon final. “Today, I turn remind them that it’s been a wonderful sporting WTA Tour. Page F9. With his ex-wife Oracene Price, Richard Wil- nymity a shared impossibility. While Ve- Her initial reaction to winning, Wil- liams trained the tandem that has won 28 Grand endar year. That feat was achieved by four Grand Slams, which is something I past three years and has won 27 of the TV on, and they are still playing. life, though not one without stumbles and set- nus and Serena insist that sibling ri- Using her racket like a stun gun to liams said, was a big blur. “I thought, 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2013 Maureen Connolly in 1953, Margaret would love to do someday. I’m trying to her last 28 matches there. “So I am saying, how is this possible?” backs. But the spectating world can grow impa- Continued on Page F10 valry is a foreign concept to them, on or pound and paralyze her savvy oppo- ‘Should I scream, should I yell or should AMANDA COX AND JOE WARD/THE NEW YORK TIMES off the , their first visit to nent, the No. 1-ranked , I cry?’ And I guess I ended up doing Court in 1970 and Steffi Graf in 1988. be just like her.” 2014 Australia has put them on collision into submission Serena Williams, the 17- them all.” ROBIN FINN Instead, Serena has chosen to dub her CHRISTOPHER CLAREY 2015 AMANDA COX AND JOE WARD/THE NEW YORK TIMES