In Serena, Pliskova claims second Williams scalp

NEW YORK: No one can accuse Karolina Pliskova of taking the easy route to her first Grand Slam final, the lanky Czech pulling off the rare Williams family double

NEW YORK: No one can accuse Karolina Pliskova of taking the easy route to her first Grand Slam final, the lanky Czech pulling off the rare Williams family double beating both Serena and Venus to reach the US Open title clash.

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While 40 have tried only nine times have both Williams sisters been beaten by the same player at the same tournament and that list reads like a grand slam Hall of Fame with names that include; Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, who like Pliskova, pulled the double off at the US Open.

Arthur Ashe Stadium may not be tennis’s grandest stage but it certainly is the sport’s loudest with more than 23,000 fans routinely filling the tennis cauldron during the US Open fortnight.

It is also a place the Williams sisters, with eight US Open singles titles between them, consider home for almost two decades where rude guests like Pliskova are made to feel unwelcome.

The 24-year-old has felt their scorn twice during this Flushing Meadows fortnight grinding out a 4-6 6-4 7-6(3) fourth-round victory over sixth seeded Venus and again on Thursday when she ended Serena’s reign as world number one along with her bid for a 23rd Grand Slam title with a clinical 6-2, 7-6 (5) win.

Serena said she had “talked a little bit” with Venus about Pliskova’s game but added she received little in the way of advice. On the other hand Pliskova, who will now meet Angelique Kerber in the final, said she learned plenty during her match with Venus that prepared her for Serena. “Once I beat Venus here I knew I’m playing good tennis and I have a chance to beat anyone in the tournament,” said Pliskova.”