Williams unable to overpower Wang, falls in 3rd round at Australian Open

Arguably the greatest player of all time, the 2017 champion looked out of sorts as she fell to China's Qiang Wang 4-6 7-6(2) 5-7 in an emotional third round encounter on Rod Laver Arena.

The former World No.1 was unable to develop any rhythm in the first set, reeling off errant shots in an attempt to outhit the more consistent Wang.

To her credit, the Chinese star saved all four break points faced and kept her own errors to a minimum, hitting only 5 to Serena's 18. She broke Williams serve at 4-4 and claimed the first set in 44 minutes.

This dip in form might have deterred many, but Serena is one of a kind. The 23-time Grand Slam champion elevated her level of play in the second set. Despite getting broken at 2-3, she rallied back to break when Wang attempted to serve for the match at 5-4. With the crowd fully on her side, Williams stormed through the ensuing tiebreak, ensuring the match went to a decider.

The final set produced some nail-biting moments, with Wang failing to convert break points on two separate occasions. If Agony could be personified, it would be Wang during those moments. The 27th seed was well aware of the dangers of facing a wounded Williams, and Serena did indeed have her back against the wall for the bulk of the final set.

Nonetheless, it came down to the final game and after saving two match points, Williams was unable to prevent her often reliable backhand from sailing into the net. After two hours and 41 minutes, Wang finally raised her arms in victory, delaying a visibly distraught Williams's quest until at least Roland Garros.

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