With U.S. Open Looming, the Window’s Closing for Anyone to Catch Serena Williams

Angelique Kerber came within one match of ending Serena Williams’ streak of 183 consecutive weeks at No. 1. It may have been Kerber’s best chance to overtake Williams this season. The U.S. Open could be the last chance. 

Karolina Pliskova defeated Kerber 6-3, 6-2 to win the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati on Sunday. The loss leaves Kerber 190 points behind Williams, who withdrew from the tournament citing a shoulder injury. Williams leads Kerber by 480 points in this year’s points race. 

Whether Kerber choked, was too tired or outplayed is irrelevant to the missed opportunity and narrowing window on the race for No. 1. 

If No. 2 Kerber or No. 3 Garbine Muguruza fail to dethrone Williams at the U.S. Open, they might as well move that goal to the top of the 2017 to-do list. 

If Williams wins there, she’ll have no points to defend for the rest of the season. Remember, after her painful loss to Roberta Vinci in the 2015 U.S. Open semifinal, Williams shut down the rest of her season.

In doing so, she forfeited a ton of points, especially at the year-end WTA championships. 

This year, Williams withdrew from the Madrid Open, Rogers Cup and Cincinnati. Had she played those tournaments and won one and just reached the semis in the others, she’d still have a comfortable lead.

Serena in Singapore!World No.1 @SerenaWilliams is FIRST to qualify for #WTAFinals–> https://t.co/zQy2bW9k6m pic.twitter.com/6Zz5SK46FX

— WTA (@WTA) August 22, 2016

Among the top three ranked women, Williams has the most points to defend at the U.S. Open. Last year, Kerber lost in the third round and Muguruza lost in the second.

Depending on where they finish at the U.S. Open, each has …

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