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Serena Shows Vulnerable Side

Written by Aimee Berg
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Two-time US Open champion Serena Williams continued her quest to win her ninth major singles title by defeating 76th-ranked Maria Elena Camerin, 7-5, 6-2, in her second consecutive prime-time match in Arthur Ashe Stadium. But the part-time clothing designer, part-time tennis champion from California looked vulnerable and flawed—ceding points on 13 unforced errors in a first set that took 51 minutes. Asked after the match what she said to herself when she relinquished a 4-1 first-set lead, Williams replied, "I can't repeat that.” Pushed further, she resisted: "I don't want to get fined." In the sixth game of that prolonged first set, Williams squandered her 4-1 lead by hitting three points into the net, including one off the frame of her racquet, and failed to convert a break point after the second deuce. "I felt like I had opportunities, and I didn't take them," Williams acknowleged after the match. "You know, it should have been a different score line. But that was only because I missed the wrong shots at the wrong time." Camerin ultimately won the four-deuce game to trail 4-2. In the seventh game, Camerin broke Williams to make it 4-3, and both players remained on serve for the next four games. Camerin served the 12th game with Williams leading 6-5. Once, the Italian went up 40-30, one point away from a tiebreak, Williams rallied to win the next three points including a backhand winner down the line to end the set. In the second set, Williams broke early to take a 2-0 lead. With Williams ahead 5-2 and Camerin serving, Camerin saved one match point at 15-40 with a cross-court winner, but Williams won the next point to earn a third-round showdown with the No. 27 seed Vera Zvonareva, of Russia. "I haven't played my best tennis at all in the first two rounds," Williams said in retrospect. "I'm glad to have gotten through them, but I don't feel like I've been playing great. Hopefully each round will be a little bit better." Camerin has never advanced past the second round in singles at the US Open, but she is also playing women's doubles here with Gisela Dulko; the duo will try to equal or better their quarterfinal finish at the 2007 French Open. Williams won the first of her eight Grand Slam singles titles at the 1999 US Open. - The 2007 US Open marks Williams' 32nd Slam apperance and Camerin's 22nd. - Camerin's best Grand Slam showing to-date was her run to the quarterfinals at the French Open this year. http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/match_reports/2007-08-29/200708291188436078296.html !
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 29 August 2007 )