As Karolina Pliskova sat in her news conference Sunday after her fourth-round victory at the #USOPEN Serena was still playing her fourth round with Kaia Kanepi

“Obviously, I want Serena to win,” Pliskova bragged to reporters- She beat Williams in the U.S. Open semifinals two years ago, which gave her the confidence that she can win again.

When reporters asked how she won Serena in 2016, she almost gloated
I was feeling great that year, I was like a dark horse, and no one was expecting me to go that far.  But I went on the court just to get the win. I know she was the best at that time, but I just wanted to win. I won because I believed I have a chance.

Asked about her next match with Serena
I know she has a big game, but I have a big game too. She said, I have a good serve and some weapons too. I have a game to beat her and that’s what I would do if she is there this time

Speaking to a New York Times reporter she said
Serena has all the respect from me, but I can beat her, so I’m not worried about her,” Pliskova said “She has a big game, but sometimes she behaves bigger than her game is.”

Pliskova had her wish granted when Williams won her US open 4th round in three sets. – it was game on;

The game started with Serena being two sets down
“I just thought that I wasn’t playing my best tennis,” Serena said of her mind-set when she was down 2-4 in the first set. “I was just thinking, you know, I can play better. So that was the good news. Then I thought, ‘Just try to make less errors,’ because at that point I was missing a lot of shots.

When Serena is silent on the court- no screams no roars you should be very worried.She came back without her trademark roars and humbled Pliskova in two straight sets 6-4, 6-2.

Serena never forgets a defeat #askSharapova. But to rub it in afterwards- that’s looking for trouble. Pliskova should have kept her mouth shut and focused on her game.

Alex Ohanian threw some petty shade after the game;

https://twitter.com/alexisohanian/status/1037143531385774080