Serena Williams crashed out of the Silicon Valley Classic in California after losing in the first round against British No.1 Johanna Konta.
The 6-1, 6-0 loss was Williams’s worst defeat of her glittering career as Konta stormed into the second round in less than an hour.
Since turning pro, 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams had “never lost a match without winning at least two games”, the BBC reports. Williams, 36, admitted she was not sharp enough as Konta eased to victory.
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“I think she played well in the second set, I wasn’t sharp at all in the first set,” said Williams, who was beaten in last month’s Wimbledon final by Angelique Kerber. “She got confident and she clearly ran away with it.”
Konta will play Sofia Kenin in the second round in San Jose and she said it was a “humbling experience” to be on court with the American icon.
“It’s an absolute privilege to be on the same court as Serena,” Konta told wtatennis.com. “After all she’s achieved, it’s so humbling just to come up against her.
“She obviously wasn’t playing her best level - nowhere near - so I tried to play the match on my terms and just do what I can out here, put aside what an incredible champion she is, and just play the player on the day.
“I might have been better on the day, but it’s still a humbling experience to be out there with her.”