With Serena Williams completing the "Serena Slam" and moving on to the US Open for the "Calendar Year Slam", it is safe to say she is having one of the greatest seasons of all time. But, it hasn't always been easy for Serena at tennis' major championships. There have been ten separate times this season when Williams has been either down a set point in the first set, down at least one break in the third set, or down a set (and possibly a break). Let's take a look back at Serena's greatest escapes at majors this season.
Australian Open
vs. Vera Zvonareva (R2): Broken in two of her first four service game in the match, Serena Williams struggling greatly on serve during the first set of her Second Round encounter with Vera Zvonareva, a former world number 2 in the world. However, even as she took the break lead against Serena, it was more due to Williams playing poorly than Zvonareva conjuring even near what she once was. Vera eventually took a 5-3 lead in the match and had three set points on Serena's serve, all of which were missed opportunities. She then, in the 5-4 game, got to 30-0 on her own serve, but lost four straight points to not only lose the game, but in hindsight, the match. For Zvonareva didn't win a single game from 5-3 up (losing 7-5, 6-0). However, for quite some time in the first set, Vera Zvonareva had Serena Williams in deep trouble.
vs. Elina Svitolina (R3): This was a match no one saw coming. Broken in three of her first four service games, Serena Williams was lifeless in a 6-4 opening set to young riser Elina Svitolina. Svitolina was even up 0-30 on Serena's serve in the first game of the second set, but at that point, something clicked and Serena made the turnaround that the world would know much better in the coming months. Williams only dropped serve one additional time in the rest of match, losing only two games total, and beat Elina Svitolina 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 to get to the Australian Open Round of 16.
vs. Garbine Muguruza (R4; apologies for the lack of accents): This match was Serena's toughest match of the tournament, and considering how she won only four games in her previous match with Muguruza, the stakes for this match were even higher. While the first four games of the match went on-serve, Serena was broken in the fifth game of the match and was subsequently broken in the seventh game of the match, as well. The glaring stat in the first set for Serena was that she was 0/6 on break chance opportunities in the first set, while Muguruza was 2/3. She had more chances, but just couldn't break Muguruza's hard, body serves. What did this all mean? Serena lost yet another set to Garbine 6-2. And while Williams' game rose in the second set, she still couldn't break away from Muguruza until the eighth game of the set, where Serena broke to 15 and held her next service game to win the set. In the third set, with Muguruza up 1-0, Serena had to save six break points in order to hold. And from there, Williams imposed her game, taking five of the last games of the match to win the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
French Open
vs. Anna-Lena Friedsam (R2): In a "here we go again" match for Serena fans, Williams struggled again in an early round of the French Open. She held in only 50% of her service games, being broken three times to lose the first to Anna-Lena in what was looking like it could be the shock of the tournament. But, like any match when Serena is losing, Williams' game was lackluster and not close to how she played to win the Australian Open and Miami earlier in the season. Friedsam even had two break points in the first game of the second set, but couldn't convert. Even then, Serena just couldn't seem to break Anna-Lena's spirit. The second set was on serve even at 4-3 in the second set, with Friedsam to serve. That's when Serena pounced, winning a tough break of serve and serving out the set to 30. The third set was all but inevitable, with Serena breaking in the first game of the set. And when Anna-Lena did not convert her two break points in the second game of the set, the match was essentially over. Down 3-5, Friedsam was broken once more to lose the match 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
vs. Viktoria Azarenka (R3): This match was the closest-call of the tournament, not only because of how the scoreline looked at one point, but because of how Serena was playing. This was a match where Serena was playing pretty well, but yet still was a couple games away from losing. Azarenka served the ball beautifully in the first set, only being broken once, and going 2/2 in break point opportunities to take the first set 6-3 against Serena. Playing well would not be good enough for Williams, she would need to raise her level even higher. And for much of the second set, that just didn't happen. Serena was broken in the third game of the second set, and Vika even got the scoreline up to 6-3, 4-2, needing just two holds to win the match. However, a break to 30 got the match back on serve, and Serena broke again in Vika's next service game to win the second set 6-4. But, Azarenka did not waver, breaking Williams in the first game of the third set and holding to love to go up 2-0. From 2-0 on, Serena raised her game to an un-playable level, only losing four points in her final three return games, and coupled with a rise in the level of her service games, won six straight games (beating Azarenka 3-6, 6-4, 6-2).
vs. Sloane Stephens (R4): This match was another very close-call for Serena, as she was one game away from losing it. Williams was lifeless in the first set, not even coming close to breaking Stephens, and dropping three of her first four service games. The first set of this match was the worst Serena played all tournament, and it seemed for a little while as if Williams was a bit disinterested in the match. And when Stephens held to take a 6-1. 5-4 lead, there were questions in my mind as to whether Serena would be able to hold in that tenth game. Williams came through, however, holding a tense game to 30, and then only losing two points in her next two games to take the second set 7-5. And when Serena saved two break points down 0-1 in the third set, the end seemed near for Sloane. Stephens was broken a couple service games later, and then once more to end the match. The final score: Williams wins 1-6, 7-5, 6-3.
vs. Timea Bacsinzky (SF; to be referred to solely as Timea in this post): Fighting a terrible illness, Williams had a very tough time with Timea in this scintillating semifinal matchup. After a few holds to start the match, Williams was broken to 40 in a tense game to go down 3-2. And while Serena would get another chance to break down 4-5 in the first set, she could not convert and Timea took the opening set by a score of 6-4. With how sick Serena looked, there were questions in my mind, at least, as to whether or not she would continue. And when Williams was broken in a long deuce game to go down 3-2 in the second set, the end seemed all but inevitable. However, perhaps being so far down and sick allowed Serena to really hit out and not worry about the pressure of winning a grand slam anymore, as Williams did not lose another game in the match. Serena won 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.
vs. Lucie Safarova (F): A still-sick Serena Williams played a tense Final against Lucie Safarova. Williams broke Safarova quickly to take a 3-1 lead and did not give the break back for the rest of the set, winning it 6-3. And when Serena got the double break lead in the second set to lead 4-1, her 20th grand slam was seemingly in hand. But, nerves got the best of Williams for the moment and Safarova broke twice (and was not broken) to take a 5-4 lead in the second set. Even when Serena broke Lucie's serve once more to take a 6-5 lead in the second set, she could not grab the opportunity and lost the second set in a tiebreak, 7-6(2). And when Safarova broke Serena's serve in the first game of the third set and easily hold the game after, it seemed for a moment as if Lucie would be the one holding the trophy a little while later. However, Williams would not be denied, breaking the Safarova serve in every return game for the rest of the match (going 3/4 on break points) and not facing a break point herself to win the match 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-2 and capture her 21st major championship.
Wimbledon
vs. Heather Watson (3R): Like the Safarova match at the French Open, this match seemed to be in hand for Williams until things got interesting in the second and third sets. In the first set, Serena only lost three points on serve and broke Watson two times to take a very easy, straight-forward set 6-2. And for the first two games of the second set, she had no serving problems either, only losing a couple points in the two games she served. However, she couldn't break Watson and was promptly broken herself in her third service game of the set to 40. And while she broke Watson right back, Serena never looked comfortable on the court, allowing the raucous crowd to get to her head. She struggled to serve in her next service game, and a couple games after that, was broken to 30. This gave Watson a 5-4 lead, which she made good on, winning the set in a tense final game. Watson used that momentum to take a 3-0 lead in the second sets, which put her three games up on Serena. However, upon blowing two game points in the fourth game of the set to give Serena one break back, the ending seemed inevitable for Watson. She eventually went down 4-3, and the crowd seemed dejected. However, out of nowhere, Serena lost her next game on serve to love, and Heather even got within two points of the match on two different occasions (both 40-40), but could not hold on to her serve, as Serena broke in one of the tensest games I have ever witnessed as a tennis fan/blogger. From there, Serena would not be denied as she closed out the match with a hold and a break. Serena Williams wins, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
vs. Viktoria Azarenka (QF): If Serena Williams thought she was in the clear after the win against Watson, she would be mistaken, as Viktoria Azarenka had other plans. In the first set, the margins were super thin, as Azarenka was playing some of the best tennis of her life to break Serena in the fourth game of the set and then manage to hold on to that break lead for the entirety of the set and win 6-3. Serena Williams was playing good tennis, but good wouldn't be enough to take down a fired-up Vika. So, Serena had to dig deep for the rest of the match, because even as she raised her level, Azarenka's level refused to dip. On serve in game five of the second set, Vika had a break point at 30-40, but just couldn't manage to break, as Williams barely escaped. And that game certainly was on Vika's mind for a little while longer, as she couldn't manage a hold for the rest of the set and lost it 6-2. And after being broken for a 2-0 lead in the third set, it seemed as if Azarenka's run at Wimbledon was basically over. But, Vika still fought. Viktoria Azarenka was not broken for the rest of the match, and despite incredible serving from Williams still had a break point down 3-5 in the final set. She couldn't convert it, however, and after a couple more incredible serves by Serena, the match was over. Serena won it 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Serena Williams has had an unbelievable season. She is more than doubling up the point total of number two in the world, Maria Sharapova, and playing at a level of tennis previously unheard of so late in her career. But, there were many times this season where the "Serena Slam" (and chance for the "Calendar Year Slam") could have easily been stopped, and this post shows just how deep Serena Williams had to dig to accomplish all that she has this season.
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