The last three times that Serena Williams reached a Grand Slam final, she lost —so she knows the pressure is on this time around.

Williams, 37, defeated the number 5 seed Ukranian Elina Svitolina on Thursday night at Arthur Ashe stadium in Queens in the 2019 U.S. Open women’s singles semifinals. Defeating Svitolina in a 6-3, 6-1 victory, Williams clinched her 101st U.S. Open win, tying Chris Evert’s tournament record.

After the match, Williams told reporters, “To be in yet another final, it seems honestly crazy,” according to the U.S. Open’s website.

“But I don’t really expect too much less,” Williams continued. “I definitely know I could have played better. I’m just focusing on not that, just the next match.”

Those previous finals losses, Williams said, bring “so many different emotions.”

Said the superstar athlete, “It just brings out so many highs and lows, nerves and expectations. It’s a lot.”

Heading into the 2019 open, Williams was ranked as a No. 8 seed. Winning her 24th Grand Slam singles title on Saturday would tie Williams with the record for most grand slam wins with Margaret Smith Court. The mother of Alexis Olympia has already surpassed tennis champion Steffi Graf’s 22 titles.

The tournament ends with the women’s singles final on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 4 p.m. EST and the men’s singles final on Sunday, Sept. 8, also at 4 p.m. EST.


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