Former World No. 1 and six-time champion Serena Williams will go head to head with Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina in the semifinal of the 2019 US Open on Thursday, September 5. The match will start at 7:00 pm local time (12:00 am BST) and here, you will find the latest Serena Williams v Elina Svitolina live streaming options with the preview and tips.
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Serena Williams v Elina Svitolina Head to Head
Williams, not so surprisingly, holds a 4-1 lead over Svitolina. Although they last met in the 2016 Olympics, by then the American had accumulated enough wins over the Ukrainian from big tournaments like the Australian Open and French Open.
In the Olympics, however, it was Svitolina who finally managed to draw first blood and knocked out Williams in the round of 16.
Svitolina, Making History in New York
For the first time in her career, the number five seed Elina Svitolina has made it to the semifinal of the US Open. It is an impeccable run that follows her performance from the previous Grand Slam – the Wimbledon where she was a semifinalist too.
Exhibiting a flawless, lethal blend of confidence and skill, Svitolina navigated her bracket without dropping a single set. Standing in her way were some formidable opponents: the veteran American Venus Williams, the Cincinnati Open champion Madison Keys, and most recently, the British No. 1 Johanna Konta.
After suffering a double-defeat at the hands of Sofia Kenin in the build-up to the US Open, Svitolina has certainly allowed it to be a thing of the past. Even considering her defeats this season, a mere 15 in comparison to 25, most of them have come at the hands of high-quality, performing players like Simona Halep, Bianca Andreescu, Naomi Osaka, and Kenin.
In addition to the Wimbledon and her present run, the Ukrainian was also a semifinalist in the Indian Wells Open. Surprisingly, despite a solid season that saw her stay within the top 7 for most of the time, she is yet to win a title since the WTA Finals last season.
Clearly, she is a clinical player of the sport and having won a series of Premier-level tournaments through the years, she is more than capable and worthy of going the distance here. She is a strong opponent on all surfaces and that is something that Williams will need to keep an eye on.
The 24-year-old Ukrainian will also look to become one of the few players who have defeated the Williams sisters in the same tournament on the WTA Tour.
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Williams, with a Clinical Run as Usual
After watching Serena Williams play like it is nothing in the Flushing Meadows through the years, it hardly comes as a surprise to see her reach the semifinal once again. In this decade alone, she has won the US Open title thrice, reached the final twice and semifinal thrice.
This is a record she has maintained irrespective of how the season has turned out for her. Case in point, she started the year on a dull note owing to injuries. But then, the 23-time Grand Slam champion changed it all at the SW19, when she reached the final there.
Later, she reached the final in the Rogers Cup too, retiring against Bianca Andreescu due to illness. However, she did enough to get the required momentum for a sensational, trailblazing run at the Flushing Meadows.
Through the path, she dispatched the likes of Maria Sharapova, Petra Martic, and Wang Qiang in what proved to be a very comfortable bracket for the number 8 seed. Against Williams and Qiang particularly, she won in straight sets while dropping just three games in the process!
While she was tested by Catherine McNally, she staged a comeback after losing the first set and sailed into the next round.
Williams v Svitolina Tips & Predictions
Williams has a very strong game on account of her experience, form, and sheer power. However, statistically speaking, her last couple of defeats in the US Open have come at the hands of fairly young opponents like Naomi Osaka and Karolina Pliskova. As a player, Svitolina is certainly a part of that elite league and has also got the necessary skills needed to deliver the ultimate upset. Plus, she will be determined to reach her maiden Grand Slam final, especially after the year she has had.
But then, it will be a difficult one for her. This is Serena’s turf and defeating her here is no easy feat.
Tip: Over 20.5 games in the match: 43/50 (888Sport)
You can watch & bet on Williams v Svitolina on Thursday, September 5 here. Get the latest tennis predictions and tips here.
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