Finally tested, even trailing, at the U.S. Open, Serena Williams turned things around just in time to defeat Victoria Azarenka on Sunday.
Two points from defeat, Williams suddenly regained her composure and her strokes, coming back to beat top-ranked Victoria Azarenka on Sunday night for her fourth championship at Flushing Meadows and 15th Grand Slam title overall.
‘I honestly can’t believe I won. I really was preparing my runner-up speech, because I thought, “Man, she’s playing so great,” Williams said during the trophy presentation after the 2-hour, 18-minute match, adding: ‘I’m really shocked.’
The victory came as little surprise to sports analysts, however, as Williams hadn’t dropped a set in the tournament, losing only 19 games through six matches before Sunday.
The win at the Open comes months after she had an unexpectedly quick exit from the French Open in May, which marked , the American’s only first-round exit in 49 career major tournaments. Since then, she is 26-1, winning Wimbledon and the London Olympics.