
Serena Williams quest for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam trophy was put on hold, as the recent Auckland champion was eliminated on Day 5 of the 2020 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.
[embed]https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1220565581692309504[/embed]
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!
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mandoist12-11-2026 - I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
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mandoist09-11-2026 - "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?
mandoist09-11-2026 - Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.
mandoist08-11-2026 - Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??
mandoist08-11-2026







