"I was just so angry, so sad" - Serena Williams reveals one Grand Slam shock loss she was never able to 'move on' from
Serena Williams boasts an illustrious career with 23 Grand Slam titles and several other honors. However, a shocking defeat at the 2015 US Open, which derailed her quest for a Calendar Grand Slam, is a loss that she was never able to 'move on' from.
Williams ended her 2014 season with a US Open title and carried her momentum into 2015, winning the first three Grand Slam titles of the year. This marked her second Serena Slam, a feat achieved by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments consecutively.
At the 2015 US Open, she was on the verge of creating history, aiming to become the first player to achieve a Calendar Grand Slam (winning all four Slams in a year) since Steffi Graf. Facing unseeded Roberta Vinci in the semifinals, she held a commanding lead after winning the first set. However, in a stunning upset, Vinci fought back to claim a 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 victory, shattering Williams' dreams.
In her docuseries, 'In The Arena: Serena Williams', the American opened up about the loss that sent her into a state of 'depression'.
"It doesn't end the way it does in the movies. And, no matter how much I feel like it could and it should. No matter what I could do different, it wasn't my story. Winning is so glamorous and everyone thinks it is so amazing when you win - It is, it really is. But, the more you win the harder it becomes to lose," Williams said.
Reportedly, Williams was advised by her therapist to avoid discussing this loss to aid her recovery.
"I don't think I was able to move on from that US Open loss. I was just so angry, and just so sad, and just so disappointed with myself. There was no one with 21 Grand Slams at the time but it was not enough for me," she added.
“She was depressed” - Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou reveals why she took a break after 2015 US Open
After the semifinal loss at the 2015 US Open, Serena Williams took a break from tennis. Her former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, explained in a subsequent interview with ESPN that the tennis superstar was grappling with depression
“She was depressed... The reaction was quite strong. She was really, really affected, which I think is normal when you are Serena," Mouratoglou told ESPN.
"She does everything with 100% of her heart so you are more disappointed when you don’t reach your goal. Plus, she has a level of expectation that is much higher than anyone,” he added.
The French coach also attributed some of the blame for the loss to Williams' knee issues at the time.
Williams, however, returned to the court soon after. and faced more heartbreaks as she finished runner-up in the Australian Open and the French Open in 2016. The comeback proved challenging, as she finished runner-up at both the Australian Open and French Open in 2016. Undeterred, she eventually claimed the Wimbledon title that year and the Australian Open title in 2017, completing her collection of 23 Grand Slam titles.