Throughout a breathless, intense first set in what could have been the last singles match of her career, Serena Williams stared down the world No 2, Anett Kontaveit, and responded to her challenge with an immaculate performance on Wednesday.
In the second set, though, she was barely holding on. As she saved a break point at 1-3 with a sweet, curling ace, she raised her hands to the sky, enraged that she could not find that shot each time she served.
