NEW YORK — Serena Williams insists her meltdown at the U.S. Open is old news. She says she has moved on and suggests everyone else do the same.
But she is headed back to that place.
Tonight. Women’s semifinals. Arthur Ashe Stadium. Against an opponent who, on paper, at least, figures to give her as much trouble as anyone has to this point.
Two years ago, under those same circumstances, the pressure and stress built up. Then, after a foot- fault call nobody will soon forget, it culminated in an ugly ending in her match against Kim Clijsters — Williams shaking her racket and threatening the official who made the call, then losing when she was given a point penalty on match point.
Williams, ranked No. 28, missed last year’s U.S. Open with an injury. And now, back in the 2011 semifinal, she will face top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the night’s featured match.
The other semifinal pits No. 9 Samantha Stosur against 92nd-ranked Angelique Kerber. Stosur is trying for her second Grand Slam final. Kerber is trying to join Clijsters and Venus Williams as the third unseeded player to make a U.S. Open final.
Early last week, when Williams won her first singles match at Ashe since the ugly ending to the Clijsters semifinal, she insisted that night wasn’t going through her mind when she stepped on the court. Pressed on that, asked how she could simply set aside the ugliest moment in her brilliant career, she refused to budge.
“If anything, I thought, ‘Wow, I’m back. I haven’t played in a long time,’ ” she said. “I’m telling you, out of sight, out of mind for me. You guys should try it.”
