fciwomenswrestling2.com Femcompetitor.com, grapplingstars.com, fciwomenswrestling.com fcielitecompetitor.com -Leonard-Zhukovsky-Shutterstock-photo-credit-Editorial-use-.
August 31, 2022,
You didn’t really think that she was going to lose in the first round of the mighty 2022 US Open, did you?
Under the lights? To a record sold out crowd?
With tennis legends John McEnroe and Chris Everett calling her match?
With special messages from some of the world’s most influential power brokers like Oprah Winfrey?
The foundation of women’s tennis in Billie Jean King?
No you didn’t.
Some people did. But most important?
Serena didn’t.
As reported by the global news source CNN, “Serena Williams, playing in what is likely the final tennis tournament of her storied career, opened singles play with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Danka Kovinić in the first round of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium.”
It ended very impressively. Even if it didn’t start out that way.
As many matches, that the greatest of all time, has ever played in and as many championships that she has won, in the opening games, Serena was clearly nervous. Double faults, errant ground strokes and, at times, getting wrong footed, the magnificent one still survived.
It was extremely important for her to win the first set, and it wasn’t easy.
Once she secured it, even though the second set score ended just as the first, at 6-3, no two sets were more different.
Serena found her serve and powerful ground strokes and the second set was never in doubt.
Her footwork looked pretty good too.
The luminary won 10 of the final 13 games.
After that performance, it made us wonder, could Serena still do what previous to this tournament seem like the impossible? Maybe win the whole thing?
She clearly is just warming up, playing her way into fighting shape. If she keeps picking up steam, after a long rest, we certainly won’t count her out.
Her opponent played with fire and was not to be taken lightly.
So, who is Danka Kovinic?
Danka Kovinić is a Montenegrin professional tennis player.
On February 22, 2016, she reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 46, and on June 20, 2016, she peaked at No. 67 in the WTA doubles rankings.
To place her ranking in perspective, previous US Open champion Naomi Osaka is currently ranked at 44.
Once ranked 46, Danka is no slouch and, at moments, she appeared intent upon an upset.
The turning point came in the sixth game of the first set when Danka appeared to be on the verge of a 4-2 lead.
Serena then blasted a shot that, at first glance, looked long and wide, but amazingly dropped in.
It caught the back of the baseline.
That was the first of 11 straight points for Serena and she shifted into high gear.
Part of the significance of this historic victory is what Serena’s previous 2022 results have produced.
On August 8, 2022, as reported by usopen.org, “For the first time in 430 days, Serena Williams heard “Game, set, match, Williams,” on Monday at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. Playing just her second match in the span of a year, Williams recorded a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz in the opening round of Canada’s WTA 1000 event.”
Yes, you read that right. Previous to that match, it has been over a year since Serena last won a match.
Fortunately, that is the past.
Her next match to win will be on Wednesday night against Anett Kontaveit.
Who is she and what is her resume?
Anett is an Estonian professional tennis player.
Estonia is a country in Northern Europe.
It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia.
The territory of Estonia consists of the mainland, the larger islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, and over 2,200 other islands and islets on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, covering a total area of 17,505 square miles.
The capital city Tallinn and Tartu are the two largest urban areas of the country.
Tallinn has a population of 449,160.
Tallinn’s Old Town is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Very impressive.
Anett has been ranked as high as world No. 2 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), which she first achieved on June 6, 2022, making her the highest-ranked Estonian player in history.
With her qualification for the 2021 WTA Finals, she became the first Estonian to participate in the tour’s year-end championships, where she reached the final.
Anett has won six singles titles on the WTA Tour as well as eleven singles and five doubles titles on the ITF Circuit.
She produced her best performance at a Grand Slam by reaching her maiden major quarterfinal at the 2020 Australian Open.
Of special note, Anett won the Estonian Championships in 2009, the youngest player ever in Estonia to do so, and successfully defended her title in 2010.
She had great success on the junior tour in 2011, her best Grand Slam result of the year being at Roland Garros in May. There she made the quarterfinals with wins over then, world number six, drum roll please, Danka Kovinić.
Why does that name sound so familiar?
Most important, here at the now historic 2022 US Open, she just defeated Jaqueline Cristian is straight sets, 6-3, 6-0.
As far as her 2022 season went, Anett started the year at the Sydney International as the fourth seed. She began her campaign by defeating Zhang Shuai, Elena-Gabriela Ruse, and Ons Jabeur to reach the semifinals.
However, she was defeated by Barbora Krejčíková 0–6, 6–4, 7–6, despite having seven match points.
That last stat may be telling.
Seeded No. 6 at the 2022 Australian Open, she was regarded to be one of the favorites to lift the trophy following her stellar form at the end of 2021.
She defeated Kateřina Siniaková in the first round, 6–2, 6–3, but was upset by Danish teenager and rising star, Clara Tauson, in the second round, 6–2, 6–4.
At 2022 Wimbledon Championships, Ms. Kontaveit played as second seed, defeating Bernarda Pera in first round but lost to Jule Niemeier in the second round.
So, while Serena will have her hands full, Anett has exited from two major 2022 slams in the second round.
If Serena has her way, she hopes that pattern holds true in the second round of the 2022 US Open.
The entire tennis world will be watching.
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OPENING PHOTO fciwomenswrestling2.com Femcompetitor.com, grapplingstars.com, fciwomenswrestling.com fcielitecompetitor.com -Leonard-Zhukovsky-Shutterstock-photo-credit-Editorial-use
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/29/tennis/serena-williams-us-open-first-round-spt-intl/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danka_Kovini%C4%87
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anett_Kontaveit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia
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https://www.fcielitecompetitor.com/
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