Serena Williams suffered a shocking straight-sets loss to Karolina Pliskova in the U.S. Open semifinals on Thursday.
With the 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) defeat, Williams will lose her status as the world's No. 1-ranked player to Angelique Kerber, snapping her record-tying streak of 186 consecutive weeks at tennis' helm. It also ended Williams' bid for a 23rd Grand Slam title and seventh at Flushing Meadows.
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Pliskova, who had never previously made it beyond the third round of a major, controlled the match with her big serve as she moved into a final against either Kerber or Caroline Wozniacki.