NEW YORK—The U.S. Open quarterfinal match between Angelique Kerber and Roberta Vinci told two very different tales, and it ended in a total washout, with Kerber winning, 7-5, 6-0.
“I think it’s always difficult to play against Roberta,” the No. 2 seed said. “She’s a great player, and she played so well last year. She came out here to play good tennis. I’m so happy to win it in two sets. To reach, again, the semis, it means a lot to me.”
It’s tough to imagine, but Kerber was a U.S. Open semifinalist just once before, back in 2011. Vinci, the seventh seed, reached the final last year after stunning Serena Williams in the semis.
The match on Tuesday began with a long, six-minute first game, setting the tone for a series of breaks in which neither woman played her best. Vinci and Kerber do not have the most consistent serves, so failing to hold did not seem to faze them at all.
Kerber, the world No. 2, was the obvious favorite on paper. She’s having a career-best year, with a maiden Grand Slam title in Australia and finalist showings at Wimbledon, in Rio and in Cincinnati.