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Serena Williams: Looking back at her six US Open titles

Serena Williams won her first U.S. Open as a 17-year-old in 1999. (Jamie Squire/Allsport)

Serena Williams and Arthur Ashe Stadium go back. Way back.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion is expected to retire from tennis following the 2022 US Open — a fitting cap to her career, as the New York tournament provided the setting for her first major title back in 1999.

But don’t count her out in her swan song.

Williams has won her first two matches, including an upset victory Wednesday against No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round. She advances to face Ajla Tomljanović on Friday in the round of 32.

As Williams eyes another electric run at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Just Women’s Sports takes a look back at her six previous US Open championships.

1999: A star is born

A teenager entered the 1999 final as the world No. 1 and a five-time major champion – and it wasn’t Williams. Martina Hingis entered as the seasoned veteran at all of 18 years old, while 17-year-old Williams came in as the upstart looking for her first major victory.

The No. 7 seed, Williams faced off against four eventual Hall of Famers on the way to the final: Kim Clijsters, Conchita Martinez, Monica Seles and finally No. 2 seed Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals.

In the championship match, Williams won in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7), announcing herself as a star in her own right. She even beat older sister Venus to a major title – Venus won her first two in 2000 at Wimbledon and back at the US Open.

“Even though Richard Williams had already been making noise about how Serena ultimately was going to be the better player, better than Venus, we didn’t think it was going to happen quite yet,” Hall of Fame tennis journalist Steve Fink told USOpen.org. “I just remember it really surprised me. A year or two later it wouldn’t have, but I thought Martina was still going to have the edge at that stage in the final, with her experience.”

2002: The Venus and Serena Show

After winning her first US Open, Williams did not win another major until 2002 – but that year, she went on a tear. She won the French Open and Wimbledon before capping her year with another win in New York, and all three titles came against sister Venus.

She blazed through the year’s last major. In her first five matches, she conceded just 14 games through 10 sets, then dispatched No. 4 seed Davenport in straight sets in the semifinal. Finally, the younger Williams sister then took down the elder 6-4, 6-3.

“Serena was the best player the whole tournament this year,” Venus said at the time. “I have to give it to her for that. My game went down after the fourth round and I just couldn’t do a thing to bring it back up.”

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(Bongarts/Getty Images)

This major saw Serena turn heads not just for her play but also for her fashion sense. The now infamous catsuit, designed by Puma, drew worldwide attention following her first match.

“If you don’t have a decent shape, this isn’t the outfit to have,” Williams said. “It makes me run faster and jump higher and it’s really sexy. [Venus told me it’s] really fun, really exciting and very sexy. I mean, she just basically described me.”

While Williams received blowback for the outfit, she shut down the critics, saying, “Nobody is ever going to tell me what to wear.”

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(Gary M. Prior/Getty Images)

2008: Reclaimed glory

Williams reached No. 1 in the world for the first time in 2002, but she lost the ranking in 2003. She didn’t regain the top spot again until her third US Open win in 2008.

Entering as the No. 4 seed, Williams did not drop a set en route to the title. Her most troublesome match of the tournament came in the quarterfinals against Venus, who took Serena to tiebreakers in both sets.

From there, Williams sailed through the semifinal against Dinara Safina and the final against Jelena Jankovic.

While she walked away with her ninth major, Williams asserted after the match that she wasn’t satisfied. Of course, she eventually compiled a total of 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

“I’m pushing the doors to double digits, which I obviously want to get to,” she said. “I feel like I can do it.”

2012: 30 and thriving

With her win over Victoria Azarenka in 2012, Williams became the third woman in history to win Wimbledon, the US Open and the Olympics in the same season, joining Steffi Graf (1988) and sister Venus (2000).

The world No. 1 made a near-flawless run, with her only lost set coming in the final against Azarenka, which she won 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. Williams served up 13 total aces in the final and hit a peak serve of 125 mph at one point in the match.

Despite her dominant play, Williams found herself on the verge of defeat – two points away from it, in fact – before she rallied to take the final four games and win the final set.

After winning her 15th major at the age of 30, Williams would rattle off another eight majors in her 30s.

2013: Back-to-back titles

The duo of Azarenka and Williams met once again in the US Open final, and once again, it was a three-set thriller, with Williams winning 7-5, 6-7 (10-8), 6-1. In another repeat of the previous year, Williams’ lone dropped set came against Azarenka in the final.

The 2013 major marked the 17th of her career, officially beginning the chants proclaiming Williams to be the greatest of all time. It also marked her fourth major in 16 months, a record for a women’s player over the age of 30.

Five majors away from Steffi Graf’s record of 22 in the Open era, 32-year-old Williams shut down questions about age as an obstacle to her success.

“I don’t think about it. I always said, age for me, I feel great. I’ve never felt better,” she said. “I feel really fit. I haven’t felt like this in a number of years, and so I’m excited about the possibilities.

“I don’t know what can happen, I just keep playing and doing the best that I can.”

Of course, Williams would go on to win six more majors. Further defying the doubters, Williams would make the final at both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2018 mere months after giving birth to daughter Olympia Ohanian.

2014: Three-peat for the ages

Williams won her third consecutive US Open in 2014, just one off the record of Chris Evert, who rattled off four in a row from 1975-78. For a record-matching third time, she did not lose a set en route to the title.

She also equaled the record for US Open singles titles in the Open era.

In the final, Williams took down friend Caroline Wozniacki, 6-3, 6-1. The match lasted just 75 minutes, and Williams was emotional as she accepted the trophy on the same court on which she won her first at 17 years old.

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(Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

“It is a pleasure for me to win my first Grand Slam here and then this No. 18,” Williams said. “So I’m really emotional. I couldn’t ask to do it at a better place.”

For her win, Williams won a record $4 million – $3 million in prize money plus $1 million as a bonus for having the best record during the North America summer hard court circuit. The match also made her the first women’s athlete to earn more than $60 million in prize money.

The Late Sub Podcast: Marta’s Orlando Dream Comes True

Orlando Pride veteran Marta looks out during a game
Eight-year Pride veteran Marta scored the game-winner that clinched the NWSL Shield for Orlando. (Kelley L Cox/Imagn Images)

In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins gives a postmortem on this era of the Las Vegas Aces, before claiming the Liberty as WNBA championship frontrunners and prepping for Tuesday's Game 5 semifinal between the Lynx and the Sun.

Then, she chats about Orlando’s incredible run to the 2024 NWSL Shield, the individual NWSL records primed to fall, and aimlessness further down the league table.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.

Lynx, Sun Gear Up for Win-or-Go-Home Battle in Tuesday’s WNBA Semifinals Game 5

Connecticut's Alyssa Thomas leaps with the ball
The Sun heads to Minnesota for tonight's winner-take-all Game 5. (David Berding/Getty Images)

After splitting their first four games, tonight's Game 5 semifinal will determine who will go on to face New York in the 2024 WNBA Finals: the Minnesota Lynx or the Connecticut Sun.

The two teams' best-of-five series has been the tightest of the 2024 postseason thus far. Both claimed one road win and one at home, and even the series score sheet is wildly close, with the Lynx putting up 321 points across the four games and the Sun posting 315.

New WNBA season, same elimination game matchup

Tonight's tilt marks the pair's second-straight season competing in a winner-takes-all playoff showdown after the Sun beat the Lynx 90-75 in Game 3 of 2023's first round.

"At this point, you know each other inside and out," said Sun coach Stephanie White after Sunday's win. "It's about players making plays. It’s about the extra efforts. The hustle plays. It's about not being denied and finding something deep inside of you that allows you to come out on top."

Unlike the Lynx, the Sun have the added motivation of hunting a franchise-first WNBA championship. Minnesota, on the other hand, boasts four titles already, most recently in 2017.

It's something top-of-mind for veteran Sun forward DeWanna Bonner, who called the atmosphere in Minneapolis for Game 1 and 2 "absolutely insane."

"I can only imagine what it will be like in a Game 5. We know that," Bonner continued. "I wouldn’t tell the team anything other than focus in on each other. They have great fans, championship fans. They’ve won multiple championships. They’re hungry for another one."

Minnesota's Napheesa Collier and Connecticut's Brionna Jones jump for the ball
Either Napheesa Collier's Lynx or Brionna Jones's Sun will tip off against New York on Thursday. (Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

Stats pave a complicated road to the Finals

To overcome Minnesota's hunger, Connecticut will likely defer to Sunday's winning formula. The return of guard Ty Harris from injury had an immediate impact, as did the Sun's performance behind the arc — Connecticut sank 53% of their three-pointers while the Lynx failed to crack 40%.

For their part, Minnesota will be aiming to stifle Connecticut's offense, which saw five Sun players score double-digits on Sunday.

"We have to get back to what got us in this position in the first place, which is our defense," noted Lynx star Napheesa Collier, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

How to watch Sun vs. Lynx in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA semifinals

The Sun and Lynx will tip off in Minneapolis at 8 PM ET tonight, with live broadcast and streaming coverage on ESPN2.

Orlando Pride Win First-Ever NWSL Shield Behind Marta’s Game-Winning Goal

Marta holds Orlando's first-ever NWSL Shield
Marta scored the game-winner goal for Orlando on Sunday. (Mike Watters/Imagn Images)

With three regular-season matches left, the still-undefeated Orlando Pride clinched the 2024 NWSL Shield with Sunday's rainy 2-0 win over the second-place Washington Spirit.

Marta converted the 57th-minute game-winning penalty kick, securing her team's first-ever piece of hardware with her eighth goal of the season.

"I stayed here because I want to make history with this team," the Brazilian soccer icon, who's been with the Pride for eight years, said afterwards. "And then we did tonight, and then we go for more."

Though the Pride's dominance this season is unmatched, Washington was notably without several key players. Between injuries and yellow card suspensions, the Spirit faced Orlando without Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger, Hal Hershfelt, Leicy Santos, or Ouleye Sarr.

The Current celebrate Temwa Chawinga's record-tying 18th season goal.
Kansas City's Temwa Chawinga tied Sam Kerr's 2019 scoring record on Saturday. (EM Dash/Imagn Images)

Chawinga ties Kerr's NWSL scoring record

It took less than two minutes for Kansas City's Temwa Chawinga to find the back of the net in Saturday's 2-0 win over Louisville, tying former Chicago Red Star Sam Kerr's single-season NWSL scoring record with her 18th goal.

With three matchdays to go, the Malawian striker is all but guaranteed to upend Kerr's 2019 record.

"I think that Temwa's ability to get behind the line and then drive towards the goal, and being aggressive going towards the goal, is something that differentiates her," KC head coach Vlatko Andonovski said after the match. "Temwa's just a pure goalscorer. We're happy that she's done it for us this season and hopefully she continues to do it."

Other noteworthy NWSL results

In other NWSL news, fifth-place North Carolina punched their postseason ticket with Saturday's 2-1 win over San Diego. The day before, last-place Houston become the first club eliminated from the 2024 playoff picture.

Gotham’s 5-1 Saturday blowout of Bay has the defending NWSL champs achingly close to leaping second-place Washington on the table. The two clubs are tied for points, with the Spirit's shrinking goal differential giving them the tenuous edge.

On the other hand, Saturday's 2-1 loss to 12th-place Utah extended Portland's NWSL winless streak to seven matches. The Thorns are remarkably still in seventh-place, but sit tied for points with eighth-place Bay FC. With lower-table teams hungry to rise above the postseason cutoff line, every match left could see Portland fall from contention.

New York Advances to WNBA Finals as Connecticut Forces Game 5

The New York Liberty celebrate making the 2024 WNBA Finals
New York made the WNBA Finals for the sixth time on Sunday. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Sunday's WNBA semifinals action saw top-seeded New York end back-to-back defending champion Las Vegas's season while the Connecticut Sun staved off elimination to force a deciding Game 5 against the Minnesota Lynx.

The Las Vegas Aces look on as the trailed the Liberty on Sunday
Sunday's Game 4 eliminated the two-time defending champion Aces. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

New York ends Aces' WNBA three-peat campaign

The Liberty claimed a second-straight trip to the WNBA Finals with Sunday's 76-62 victory over the Aces, ending to the defending champs' three-peat dream in four semifinal matchups.

After being held to just four points in Game 3, Sabrina Ionescu led the Liberty with 22 points. Teammate Breanna Stewart was just behind with a 19-point, 14-rebound double-double.

Though New York led nearly wire-to-wire, Las Vegas kept Game 4 within reach, thanks in large part to three-time MVP A'ja Wilson's 19 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks. The Aces trailed by just two points after three quarters, but a 16-2 fourth-quarter Liberty run ultimately earned them the win.

"They've been the best team all year — let's be real," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon said about New York after the game. "Their group earned it. They earned it all year."

The Liberty huddle up during Game 4 of the WNBA semifinals
The Liberty will hunt a franchise-first WNBA championship in the 2024 Finals. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

Having walked away disappointed last season, New York — the only original franchise still playing without a title — knows that nothing is guaranteed in their upcoming sixth Finals appearance.

"We haven't done anything yet," a fired up Ionescu said after Sunday's win. "We're three wins away, and that’s really important to understand. We got to come out and we got to punch because nothing has been given to us yet."

How to watch the Liberty in the 2024 WNBA Finals

Game 1 of the best-of-five Finals tips off in Brooklyn at 8 PM ET on Thursday. Live coverage will air on ESPN.

Connecticut forces winner-take-all Game 5 against Minnesota

After Friday's home-court loss to Minnesota, the Sun tied up their semifinal series with a come-from-behind 92-82 win on Sunday, forcing a winner-take-all Game 5.

Trailing by seven points at the break, Connecticut staged a second-half comeback. The Sun outscored the Lynx 49-32 to keep their first-ever WNBA title dream alive.

Ty Harris led Connecticut with a career-high 20 points in her post-injury return to the starting lineup. Four of her teammates also put up double-digits: Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner each had 18 points and eight rebounds, while DiJonai Carrington and Marina Mabrey added 15 and 10 points, respectively.

Minnesota's Napheesa Collier dribbles around Connecticut's Alyssa Thomas
Napheesa Collier led the Lynx in scoring in Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA semis. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

2024 Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, who led the Lynx with a 29-point, 13-rebound double-double, said her team needs to step it up when the series moves back to Minnesota on Tuesday.

"We have to go home and defend our home court. We're both playing for our lives, so we have to play with that level of intensity," Collier said after the loss.

How to watch Sun vs. Lynx in Game 5 of the 2024 WNBA semifinals

The Sun and Lynx will tip off Game 5 in Minneapolis at 8 PM ET on Tuesday. Live coverage will air on ESPN2.

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