Tennis

    Serena Williams records that may never be broken: Winning three majors from match points down

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    Serena Williams records that may never be broken: Winning three majors from match points down

    Serena Williams records that may never be broken: Winning three majors from match points down. Serena Williams is on the verge to say goodbye to professional tennis, but her legacy will last forever.

    Serena Williams records that may never be broken: Winning three majors from match points down. Serena Williams is on the verge
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    Only one woman in the entire Open Era made a come-back from match point down to win a Grand Slam title more than once. The woman is Serena Williams and she did it three times.

    The first time was at the 2003 Australian Open. She fought off two match points down 5-2 in the third set of her semifinal playing against Kim Clijsters. Williams eventually sneaked out a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory. She went on to defeat Venus Williams for the title.

    Two years later at the 2005 Australian Open, in the semis, she saved three match points down 5-4 in the third set playing against Maria Sharapova to win. 2-6, 7-5, 8-6 – the first of the19 straight wins of Williams over the Russian. She then defeated Lindsay Davenport in the final.

    She then replayed the feat in 2009. This time, it was at Wimbledon. She saved a match point down 5-4 in the third set of her 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 semifinal. She emerged victorious over Elena Dementieva.

    After that great escape against Dementieva, Serena ended up defeating Venus for the title. She was then interviewed and was asked to reflect on having been down that match point.

    “It makes me feel good because the match is never over until you shake the opponent’s hand. It’s like you never give up and you always keep fighting,” she said.

    “It is just a good lesson for life. Not even just in sports, but in life as well.”

    Serena belongs to the club of the 12 women who have saved the match point. These women saved the match point en route to winning a Grand Slam title in the Open Era. The other 11 women each achieved the feat once in their careers.

    • Martina Navratilova at 1986 US Open (saved 3 match points against Graf in Semi-Finals)
    • Monica Seles at 1991 Australian Open (saved 1 match point against MJ.Fernandez in Semi-Finals)
    • Jennifer Capriati at 2002 Australian Open (saved 4 match points against Hingis in F)
    • Serena Williams at 2003 Australian Open (saved 2 match points against Clijsters in Semi-Finals)
    • Anastasia Myskina at 2004 Roland Garros (saved 1 match point against Kuznetsova in 4th Rd)
    • Serena Williams at 2005 Australian Open (saved 3 match points against Sharapova in Semi-Finals)
    • Justine Henin at 2005 Roland Garros (saved 2 match points against Kuznetsova in 4th Rd)
    • Venus Williams at 2005 Wimbledon (saved 1 match point against Davenport in Finals)
    • Serena Williams at 2009 Wimbledon (saved 1 match point against Dementieva in Semi-Finals)
    • Li Na at 2014 Australian Open (saved 1 match point against Safarova in 3rd Rd)
    • Angelique Kerber at 2016 Australian Open (saved 1 match point against Doi in 1st Rd)
    • Caroline Wozniacki at 2018 Australian Open (saved 2 match points against Fett in 2nd Rd)
    • Naomi Osaka at 2021 Australian Open (saved 2 match points against Muguruza in 4th Rd)
    • Barbora Krejcikova at 2021 Roland Garros (saved 1 match point against Sakkari in Semi-Finals)

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