Williams upbeat despite shock loss to Rogers

WASHINGTON • Serena Williams believes there is more to come from her despite suffering her first loss to a rival outside the WTA's top 100 since 2012. She fell to fellow American Shelby Rogers in a Friday quarter-final at the Top Seed Open.

Rogers, ranked 116th, outlasted ninth-ranked Williams 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) after 2hr 7min, finishing the 23-time Grand Slam champion's campaign with a service winner.

"It's every kid's dream growing up to be able to do something like that," Rogers said. "Weird circumstances. Weird surroundings. But a win is a win."

The US Open hard-court tune-up event at Lexington, Kentucky, is being staged in a quarantine bubble without fans due to the Covid-19 pandemic that had kept Williams idle since a February Fed Cup appearance.

The top seed had not lost to a player outside the top 100 since falling to France's Virginie Razzano in the first round of the 2012 French Open.

Williams, who ousted sister Venus on Thursday, was playing matches to prepare for the US Open, which starts on Aug 31 in New York.

She will seek a seventh title on the New York hard courts to match Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam crowns.

"I have only good things to take," the 38-year-old American said.

"I can play a lot better, I think that's the main thing I can take from this match.

"I made it difficult on myself by making a plethora of unforced errors."

Separately, the season-ending ATP Tour Finals in November will be held behind closed doors in London due to the pandemic, organisers announced after publishing an updated calendar on Friday.

The tournament features the top eight male singles players and eight best doubles pairings, and will take place at the O2 Arena from Nov 15-22.

The ATP said the decision was taken in line with current British government guidance, although it still hopes some fans may be able to attend.

The Italian Open in Rome has been brought forward by a week to Sept 14, with the Hamburg Open - originally scheduled for mid-July - rearranged for Sept 19-27, the week before the French Open.

The provisional revised calendar also includes tournaments in St Petersburg, Moscow, Antwerp, Vienna and Sofia, while the Paris Masters will run from Nov 2-8.

The ATP season is set to resume on Aug 22 with the Western & Southern Open, which has been moved from Cincinnati to New York, before the US Open, which will be held from Aug 31-Sept 13.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE