Serena Williams’s quest for a Grand Slam ended in stunning fashion, with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to unseeded Roberta Vinci in the United States Open semifinals Friday.
In Saturday’s final, Vinci will face her Italian countrywoman Flavia Pennetta, who dominated No. 2 Simona Halep, 6-1, 6-3.
Williams was attempting to become the first player since Steffi Graf in 1988 to complete a Grand Slam, winning the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the same year.
Williams had never even lost a set to Vinci in four previous meetings.