US OPEN, Flushing Meadows, NY, USA, GRAND SLAM (Women)

[Moxie]

Pliskova started strong and confident, with Serena flat, a bit with the hangover after an emotional match v. Halep, but Pliskova starting to show a bit of stress. Held anyway.

 

[Billie]

Yep, Serena is flat. It will be interesting to see if she can snap out of it. Pliskova is doing what she knows and looks composed. She is up double break and is serving for the first set.

 

[britbox]

Just tuned in... Karolina 5-2 up and serving for the set.... eeeekkk!

 

[Billie]

Less than half an hour into the match and Pliskova leads 6:2. What a great asset that serve is.

 

[Billie]

Serena is in trouble. She is down a break in set #2.

 

[Moxie]

Serena back on serve in the 2nd. She's been flat and tense, but she is just the one to regroup. But she hasn't pulled her serve together yet.

 

[Moxie]

Serena is not using her legs on that serve. That's nerves, as much as anything else.

 

[Moxie]

I knew Plishkova was going to beat her on that point.

 

[Billie]

Each player has her turn of being nervous. Serena under pressure serving again.

 

[Billie]

4 all...Serving will be crucial.

 

[Billie]

great hold by Serena. Pliskova serving to stay in the set, we'll see what she's made of, as the saying goes.

 

[Moxie]

Serena is more in it, but Pliskova is not going away. Just got a coaching warning?

 

[Moxie]

The serve is better for Serena, but I'm not sure if she's got her timing on her baseline shots. Nail-biting time.

 

[Billie]

Serena favoring her left leg, they keep saying. Pliskova is under pressure now but Serena gifts her with that return error.

Tiebreak to decide set and Serena's fate here.

 

[Moxie]

That was a soft second serve and Serena missed it. Leg issues? Tie break now. Not sure if Serena has this one in her.

 

[Billie]

And you bet Pliskova is acknowledging all that is going on. Some of return errors are so uncharacteristic of Serena.

 

[Moxie]

Serena's timing is way off. Those were some easy makes on 2nd serve. A donation there from Pliskova.

 

[Moxie]

DF from Plishkova. Serena's best hope is that her opponent gets tight. But still, she'd have to play another set.

 

[Moxie]

Holy Toledo, what a point!

 

[Moxie]

For sure there's something wrong if Serena DF'd there.