Serena Williams upset No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit to advance to the 3rd round at the 2022 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
Williams is playing in her final US Open after announcing her retirement from women’s tennis.
The 40-year-old mom-of-one said a bathroom break gave her the “boost” she needed to defeat Kontaveit
“I just got lighter,” Williams told reporters in the press room after the match.
When a reporter asked about the bathroom break, Williams replied, “Use your imagination. But it wasn’t No. 2.”
Williams beat Kontaveit 7-6(4) in the first set of the match. Kontaveit rallied with a 6-2 victory in the second set. After taking a bathroom break, Williams appeared to be rejuvenated when she emerged from the stadium tunnel in the third set.
Williams won the set 6-2 to upset the number 2 seed and advance to the third round.
Among the notables in the stands were Serena’s biggest fan, her daughter Olympia.
Supermodels Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid.
And golf superstar Tiger Woods and his life partner Erica Herman.
Williams faces Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia in the third round match on Friday.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion and Tomljanovic will meet for the first time. The winner of their match on Friday will advance to face Russian Liudmila Samsonova or Serbian Aleksandra Krunic for a spot in the quarterfinals.
