{"id":1314322,"date":"2019-09-05T22:28:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T04:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/1-more-for-24-serena-williams-reaches-us-open-final-again\/"},"modified":"2019-09-05T22:28:00","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T04:28:00","slug":"serena-williams-reaches-us-open-final-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/serena-williams-reaches-us-open-final-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Serena Williams reaches US Open final again"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.9235615287694\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-987207-819\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | FR171643 AP | Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)<\/strong><br \/>AP | FR171643 AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831.jpg\" alt=\"Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-1.jpg\" alt=\"Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | FR110666 AP | Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, reacts after scoring a point against Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, reacts after scoring a point against Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger)<\/strong><br \/>AP | FR110666 AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-2.jpg\" alt=\"Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, reacts after scoring a point against Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-3.jpg\" alt=\"Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reacts after losing a point to Serena Williams, of the United States, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Seth Wenig)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reacts after losing a point to Serena Williams, of the United States, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Seth Wenig)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-4.jpg\" alt=\"Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reacts after losing a point to Serena Williams, of the United States, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Seth Wenig)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-5.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | FR110666 AP | Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reacts after losing a point to Serena Williams, of the United States, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reacts after losing a point to Serena Williams, of the United States, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger)<\/strong><br \/>AP | FR110666 AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-5.jpg\" alt=\"Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, reacts after losing a point to Serena Williams, of the United States, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Hunger)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-6.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after scoring a point against Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after scoring a point against Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-6.jpg\" alt=\"Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after scoring a point against Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-7.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | FR171643 AP | Serena Williams, of the United States, waits for the serve from Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Serena Williams, of the United States, waits for the serve from Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)<\/strong><br \/>AP | FR171643 AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-7.jpg\" alt=\"Serena Williams, of the United States, waits for the serve from Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-8-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-8.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, reacts after scoring a point against Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, reacts after scoring a point against Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-8.jpg\" alt=\"Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, reacts after scoring a point against Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-9-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-9.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | FR171643 AP | Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, throws her racket down onto the court after losing a point to Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, throws her racket down onto the court after losing a point to Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)<\/strong><br \/>AP | FR171643 AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/09\/US_Open_Tennis_53218-325831-9.jpg\" alt=\"Bianca Andreescu, of Canada, throws her racket down onto the court after losing a point to Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/sports\/1-more-for-24-serena-williams-reaches-us-open-final-again\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/sports\/1-more-for-24-serena-williams-reaches-us-open-final-again\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">NEW YORK \u2014 By no means was Serena Williams perfect at the start of her U.S. Open semifinal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She faced three break points in the opening game and managed to pull it out. She trailed 40-love in the second, then came through again. Another trio of break points arrived later in that initial set. Once more, Williams was up to the task. Soon enough, she was on her way to yet another final at Flushing Meadows \u2014 and yet another shot at Grand Slam singles trophy No. 24.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Williams turned in an increasingly impressive performance for a 6-3, 6-1 victory over No. 5-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday night, reaching her fourth final in the past six major tournaments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cTo be in yet another final, it seems, honestly, crazy,\u201d said Williams, a six-time U.S. Open champion who will face 19-year-old Bianca Andreescu of Canada on Saturday. \u201cBut I don\u2019t really expect too much less.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Nor does anyone else at this point.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThat\u2019s why she is who she is. You are playing in front of the best tennis player in the world,\u201d Svitolina said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t take it, she just grabs it. And there\u2019s no chance to take it back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Since returning to the tour last season after more than a year away while having a baby, she was the runner-up at Wimbledon twice, losing to Angelique Kerber in 2018 and to Simona Halep in July, and was also the runner-up, of course, a year ago at the U.S. Open, losing to Naomi Osaka.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">That one in New York was, and forever will be, overshadowed by Williams\u2019 extended argument with chair umpire Carlos Ramos, who docked her a point, then a game \u2014 and was barred by the U.S. Tennis Association from officiating any matches her or her older sister, Venus, played in this year\u2019s tournament.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Asked whether she prefers to find motivation from that final against Osaka or would rather forget it, Williams stared straight ahead and replied, \u201cI mean, it hasn\u2019t really crossed my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The 15th-seeded Andreescu reached her first major title match in only her fourth appearance at a Slam by eliminating No. 13 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 7-6 (3), 7-5.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIf someone told me a year ago that I would be in the finals of the U.S. Open this year, I would have told them, \u2018You\u2019re crazy,\u2019\u201d said Andreescu, who took her semifinal\u2019s last five games after trailing 5-2.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She is the first player to get this far in her debut in New York since Venus Williams was the runner-up in 1997.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s just surreal,\u201d Andreescu said about the prospect of facing Serena Williams next. \u201cLike, I really don\u2019t know what to say.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">So much of what the younger Williams does nowadays must be seen through the prism of tennis history, and that is certainly the case in this instance. Her 101st career match win at Flushing Meadows tied Chris Evert\u2019s tournament record.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s just impressive, I guess,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI don\u2019t think about it. I just come out here and do what I can.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">By getting to the final, Williams set a mark for longest gap between first career Grand Slam title match and most recent such appearance: It\u2019s almost exactly 20 full years since she won the 1999 U.S. Open as a teenager.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Most importantly, if she can beat Andreescu, Williams will equal Margaret Court with 24 Grand Slam singles titles, more than anyone else in a sport that dates to the 1800s.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Court, though, won more than half of hers against amateur competition before professionals were allowed to play in majors starting in 1968.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">This was Williams\u2019 38th Grand Slam semifinal, just the second for the 24-year-old Svitolina.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Right from the start, though, it was Svitolina who was steadier. She earned those three chances to break from the get-go \u2014 but failed to convert. Then she let the second game slip through her fingers, too. In all, Svitolina held eight game points across that opening pair, and was left with nothing to show for it. Quickly, it was 3-0 for Williams.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI don\u2019t think she played amazing today,\u201d Svitolina said, \u201cbut she played (at a) very high level at the beginning, where you had to make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">If it wasn\u2019t as lopsided a performance as Williams put forth in a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Maria Sharapova in the first round or a 6-1, 6-0 win over Wang Qiang in a 44-minute quarterfinal, it was pretty dialed-in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Williams\u2019 assessment?<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cToday was solid,\u201d she said. \u201cIt definitely wasn\u2019t my best tennis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Still, she launched serves at up to 119 mph and saved every break point she faced. She smacked three return winners in one game alone. She revved up some of the very best groundstrokes you\u2019ll see, at angles a pool shark would appreciate, to the tune of a 10-3 edge in points that lasted nine or more strokes. She finished with a 34-11 advantage in winners. She showed no trace of any lingering effect from a rolled ankle earlier in the tournament.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">As if for good measure, Williams even threw in a serve-and-volley approach while facing break point in the first set \u2014 and, naturally, it worked, thanks to a swinging putaway.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cDon\u2019t expect that again,\u201d Williams said, joking that this was going through her mind: \u201cWhat am I doing at the net?! Let me get back to the baseline!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Maybe Svitolina, whose one upset of Williams in five previous matchups came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was too passive, content to stay back and try to chase down everything sent her way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Wasn\u2019t the proper strategy. At least not against this opponent, in this match, on this day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cOn the important moments, she steps up, always steps up,\u201d Svitolina said, \u201calways brings her best game.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">That\u2019s usually the case for Williams, even as her 38th birthday approaches in three weeks. It just wasn\u2019t in the three most significant matches of her return so far: three Grand Slam finals, three losses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She\u2019ll try again Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">One more for 24.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cObviously, there\u2019s a lot of things that I\u2019ve learned in the past,\u201d Williams said, \u201cbut I just have to go out there (and), above all, most of all, just stay relaxed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">More AP Tennis: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apnews.com\/apf-Tennis\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.apnews.com\/apf-Tennis<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AP%E2%80%94Sports\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/AP\u2014Sports<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/sports\/1-more-for-24-serena-williams-reaches-us-open-final-again\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Serena Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the U.S. Open tennis championships Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo\/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)AP | FR171643 AP Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts after defeating Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, during the semifinals of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1314322","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-27 02:15:33","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1314322"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314322\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1314322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1314322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1314322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}