The result was so unexpected, so un-Serena-like. Serena Williams had done her best to simply forget about what had happened at the 2016 Rio Olympics, when she lost 6-4, 6-3 to Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, Williams' only blemish in their five-match head-to-head.
“That was a tough Olympics for me,” she said. “Oh, man. Lost in doubles for the first time. Just really devastated about that doubles loss. Then obviously singles shortly after. I didn't play the Olympics in Rio,” she said with a smile before her rematch with Svitolina on Thursday night.
But judging by Williams' dominating semifinal performance, it was clear she was free of any lingering memories. The 37-year-old routed the No. 5 seed Svitolina, 6-3, 6-1, to make her 10th US Open final and earn another chance at major title No. 24 to tie Margaret Court's all-time record.
“To be in yet another final, it seems honestly crazy. But I don't really expect too much less,” Williams said. “I definitely know I could have played better. I'm just focusing on not that, just the next match.”
Williams, who owns the Open era record by herself, has fallen in her past three Slam finals, which bring “so many different emotions,” she said. “It just brings out so many highs and lows, nerves and expectations. It's a lot.”
But the six-time US Open champion already tied an all-time great by making another final in Flushing Meadows. Williams joined Chris Evert atop the all-time US Open wins leaderboard with her 101st victory at her home major.
“What she does and what she achieved, it's something unbelievable,” Svitolina said. “Everyone dreams about it. For now, [it's] only her who can do it.”
Svitolina was trying to reach her first major final and brought belief from her Rio victory. But after six break points came and went in the opening set, it was all Williams.
“(Those games) gave her this push to play more freely,” Svitolina said.
Williams has played like a woman free of pressure for most of the tournament. She hasn't dropped a set since her second-round match. In her past two matches, she's dropped a combined five games and spent less than two hours on court.
“I have definitely turned a different zone. I'm not sure if I can articulate what zone that is,” she said earlier in the week. “It's not about anything in particular. It's definitely something different though.”
She'll face a first-time Grand Slam finalist, either Canada's Bianca Andreescu or Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, although Japan's Naomi Osaka was also playing in her first major final last year in New York.
Williams is even feeling comfortable enough to serve and volley, although fans of the throwback tactic shouldn't get their hopes up. “Don't expect that again,” she said on court, even though she won the point. “I'm just grounded on that baseline. I don't know. It's worked for me.”
For Serena, at this US Open, it's all worked for her, and now one more match awaits, her fourth chance at No. 24.
