'Don't cry, you're still young': Williams comforts teen after thumping

[#Drennn.]

“She told me a couple of nice words when we met in the changing room. She said ‘you are young, you are very good and you will be a good player in the future’. It’s nice to hear those words from a legend. If she thinks so then maybe that’s true. What I’m trying to do is to go to the level that people are going to talk about me the same, that I have something special.”

The top seed from Romania, who belatedly claimed her maiden major title at last year's French Open, downed Venus Williams 6-2, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night.  "I will play against a great champion and I have nothing to lose," said Halep after beating the elder Williams in a match lasting one hour and 16 minutes. "It's going to be a bigger challenge. I am ready to face it."

 

While seven-time champion Williams looms large in the top section of the draw as the 16th seed, Yastremska, the conqueror of Sam Stosur in the first round here, is a name to write down for future reference despite the one-sided nature of the result.

 

It was understandable if there was an element of stage fright about confronting her idol. As an eight-year-old she had cheered Williams on to an Australian Open title a decade ago from her lounge room in Odessa, even simulating the American’s strokes with her own racquet as she watched on television. There were early double faults, a lot of nervous glances at her father and coach Olek and a perusal of reminder notes at the change of ends.

 

 

 

 

 

When Yastremska loosened up and became more comfortable with the setting, though, there were signs of what has made her a much talked about rising star. She has genuine firepower, particularly off the forehand, and may be back on such a stage before long if she can tidy up the loose ends and not be daunted by the occasion.

 

 

 

On Sunday, the last remaining teenager in the women’s draw, Amanda Anisimova of the United States, will take on Czech eighth seed Petra Kvitova, fresh from a huge upset of Aryna Sabalenka, the Belarusian who some experts had tipped to win the title here.

While the generational divide between Williams and Yastremska and Anisimova is enormous, the all-time great has clearly not forgotten from where she came.

After comforting the world No.57 on court, Williams took her aside in the changing rooms to tell she had been hard done to have received a time violation during the match.

“It’s important we all have each other’s back and support each other,” Williams said.

Asked whether she had had the same emotional reaction as her rival after the match as a teenager, she replied: “Teenage self or adult self? Because both.

 

 

 

“You go out there and you want to win. I liked that. It showed that she wasn’t just there to play the match, she was there to win. It really broke my heart.

“When I was young I played against so many people like Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis and Monica Seles ... everyone I faced was in the hall of fame. Every match was intimidating and not easy but you just go out and do the best you can.”