Serena Williams lost the battle of the mothers to Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals of the US Open 2020. It was a tough contest with Serena winning the first set, but Azarenka battled back to clinch the next two.
With that, she lost a chance of a rematch against Naomi Osaka in the US Open final. In light of Williams’ loss, her coach Patrick Mouratoglou tweeted an inspiring and cryptic message intended for his ward.
My message to @serenawilliams today.
Higher respect for @vika7 her comeback, her level yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Dd4IlLo069
— Patrick Mouratoglou (@pmouratoglou) September 11, 2020
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He wrote, “Thank you Serena for all those lessons of courage, dedication and fighting spirit you keep teaching to each and every one of us.”
What else did he say about Serena Williams?
The Frenchman spoke about Williams‘ journey through tennis since becoming a mother. He acknowledged that everything that has happened to her since then has only highlighted her character even further.
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Mouratoglou insisted that she should be proud of her achievements, especially in the last three years. He then moved into cryptic territory, suggesting that it was his last journey. However, there has been no indication of a split between the two parties.
Meanwhile, Victoria Azarenka will be over the moon because she managed to best Serena Williams. However, she has to prepare for her clash with Naomi Osaka in the final of the US Open.
The 2-time Australian Open winner will be eager to add the US Open to her handsome resume. However, Osaka has won the US Open before and is in red hot form. Needless to say, many tennis pundits are giving her the edge in this generational battle.
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Up till now, Osaka had not faced any tough challenges. However, in the semifinals, she was taken to the limit by American hope Jennifer Brady. This proved that she had the ability to hold her nerve in close contests.
Coming to Azarenka, this is the third time that she has reached the US Open final, but can she go a step further? Truthfully, Victoria Azarenka is a strong player and is surely capable of winning this Grand Slam.