FLUSHING, New York—Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Australian Samantha Stosur beat fan favorite Serena Williams in straight sets on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday 6–2, 6–3, claiming the 2011 women’s US Open title.
“I’m still kind of speechless. I can’t actually believe I won this tournament,” she said after the match.
The win was historic for not only Stosur, who won her first Grand Slam of her career, but also for her home country of Australia, which claimed its first US Open women’s title since Margaret Court won in 1973.
Williams started the match struggling to get her first serve in, a trend that continued the entire match. Not having to fight off the Williams serve, often one of Serena’s biggest weapons, Stosur was able to control the first set. She did not look rattled at all to be playing on Ashe or against the crowd favorite Serena Williams. Stosur took the final 12 points of the first set, cruising to a 6–2 victory in 31 minutes.
The first game of the second set caused quite a stir at Ashe. After hitting an ace and extending the game to 30–40, Williams yelled “Come on!” after hitting what she thought was a winner. The umpire penalized her a point for interference, because she yelled prior to the play being over. Williams argued the call but the ruling stood, costing her the game. After the match she dodged all questions about the call other than to say, “I thought it was a clear winner.”
“I’m still kind of speechless. I can’t actually believe I won this tournament,” she said after the match.
The win was historic for not only Stosur, who won her first Grand Slam of her career, but also for her home country of Australia, which claimed its first US Open women’s title since Margaret Court won in 1973.
Williams started the match struggling to get her first serve in, a trend that continued the entire match. Not having to fight off the Williams serve, often one of Serena’s biggest weapons, Stosur was able to control the first set. She did not look rattled at all to be playing on Ashe or against the crowd favorite Serena Williams. Stosur took the final 12 points of the first set, cruising to a 6–2 victory in 31 minutes.
The first game of the second set caused quite a stir at Ashe. After hitting an ace and extending the game to 30–40, Williams yelled “Come on!” after hitting what she thought was a winner. The umpire penalized her a point for interference, because she yelled prior to the play being over. Williams argued the call but the ruling stood, costing her the game. After the match she dodged all questions about the call other than to say, “I thought it was a clear winner.”
