You probably missed Serena Williams on Thursday at the French Open.
One, it's the French Open. And two, she finished her semifinal match faster than most of us here in L.A. are able to drive to work.
Her 6-0, 6-1 obliteration of Sara Errani took just 46 minutes and served as another indication that Serena is absolutely in another dimenson when playing her best tennis. Consider some stats:
The highlight reel gives you just a small taste. ESPN darn near has to warn you of the brutality before watching.
And then there's this photo, which simultaneously serves as Errani's biggest highlight from the match and a reminder of why these things can be so lopsided:
(Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)
Advantage: Serena.
The American has now won six matches at the French Open. Here are the number of games she's lost in each of the 12 sets won: 0, 1, 1, 2, 0, 2, 1, 3, 1, 3, 0, 1. Svetlana Kuznetsova took the second set of their quarterfinal showdown, but besides that it has been an absolute steamroll for Serena.
It's fair to suggest that Serena's "A"-game is better than anyone else's in any sport. That kind of a beating against a top-five player on a surface Serena supposedly doesn't like is on par with Tiger Woods winning the Masters by 12 strokes or the Heat beating the Spurs in four games in the NBA Finals, all in blowouts of 30 or more points.
All this at the age of 31, which is getting up there for any tennis player. The women’s game may not take quite the same beating on the body that the men’s game does, but a good rule of thumb to extend your career is to win matches in less than an hour.
Things are looking up for the finish of the French Open. On Friday, we get Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal in a men's semifinal. On Saturday, it'll be Serena vs. Maria Sharapova in the women's final. It's bound to be a little more competitive. Isn't that right, Sad Sara Errani?
(Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images)
