Francesca Schiavone has been defeated by the local superstar Serena Williams in the opening round of the ongoing US Open. Serena won the match easily in the straight sets by 6-0, 6-1.
It was another display of destructive tennis by Serena. She has entered Flushing Meadows as hot favourite this year and she justified that tag in style yesterday. It took her just about an hour to knock her Italian opponent out of the competition.
It was the 8th match between these two players and Serena defeated Schiavone for the 6th time.
In the post match interview, Serena said, “Competing against a quality player like Francesca in the opening round is not an easy draw. I couldn’t have taken this match lightly. I had to be spot on.”
Serena came into the opening set in a ferocious mood. The crowd was behind her too. The spectators out there were cheering each and every shot coming out of the racket of the 31 years old local veteran.
Serena needed just 20 odd minutes to seal the opener. Her shots were just too good for Schiavone who looked all over the place. The Italian couldn’t win even a single game.
Serena seemed to be doing the same thing in the second set too. With a couple of successive breakthroughs (in the 1st and the 3rd game), she raced to a lead of 4-0 and it seemed that she would secure double bagel, but, that wasn’t the case to be.
Schiavone managed to hold her serve in the 5th game and made sure that she would not have to suffer the humiliation of double bagel defeat.
However, that remained the only game to be won by Schiavone in the match. With a serve hold in the 6th game and then, with a breakthrough in the 7th game, Serena clinched the second set by 6-1 and moved into the next round.