Venus Williams bows out in first round of women’s singles at US Open, ending long rivalry with Serena
Venus Williams lost her first round match to unseeded Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 on Saturday in the first set of an exhibition night in the US Open.
Williams made two errors in her opening game, one of which was a critical drop in return. She said afterwards the key to the match was “being more aggressive, using my serve and being able to attack”.
Venus Williams of the US has overcome a tough start to her US Open debut by beating No. 2-ranked Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4.
Williams began the first round of the US Open this week in style, beating No. 2-ranked Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4. It was a first round match in the US Open for Williams, who started with a stunning upset in the first round on her way to becoming the first American woman to reach the final at the US Open since 1969.
As a result Ostapenko is the top seed and Williams is two away from an immediate return to the finals of a Grand Slam tournament. But Williams will have to play a much tougher opponent than she faced earlier in the week against Jelena Ostapenko.
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“I have a good group of people who have worked with me who know what to expect,” Williams said. “I’ve worked with a lot of superstars, but this group, I feel like they are ready. I didn’t expect Jelena to have such an incredible run. She’s a hard-hitting player, and she’s strong down the line. She can attack you with shots, and she can hit some great returns. She’s a great athlete, she’s a great athlete, and she’s playing a great match as well.”
Williams began the week by beating two-time champion Victoria Azarenka and top seed Caroline Wozniacki