Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova apologized to the Arthur Ashe crowd after beating Serena and Venus Williams in the US Open doubles first round. On Thursday night in New York, Hradecka and Noskova defeated the Williams sisters 7-6 (5) 6-4.
Hradecka, 37, and 17-year-old Noskova beat the 14-time Grand Slam champion duo in their first match as a pair. “I’m still in shock that we won,” Hradecka said after the match. The Williams sisters were playing doubles together for one final time.
“I’m so sorry for you that we beat them, but we are so happy that we did it,” Hradecka added.
Hradecka, Noskova beat the Williams sisters
While Hradecka is a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, 17-year-old Noskova doesn’t really have much experience.
After beating the Williams sisters, Noskova admitted it was a very special night for her. “Playing against the Williams sisters is a special moment for everybody, anyone and anytime. I was really lucky that I could pair with my doubles partner and we could win and put up a good fight,” Noskova said.
The Williams had their chances but just didn’t convert. In the 10th game of the first set – when Hradecka and Noskova were serving to stay in the set – the Williams sisters had two set points, but didn’t realize. After not realizing two set points, the Williams sisters put themselves in a good position to win the first set via a tie-break.
In the tie-break, the Williams sisters had a 5-3 lead, before losing the next four points and the first set eventually. After winning the first set, Hradecka and Noskova claimed the first break of the match in the second game of the second set.
But the Williams sisters refused to give up as they broke back in the seventh game. But in the 10th game – when the Williams sisters were serving to stay in the match – Hradecka and Noskova got a break to complete a two-set win.
