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SAN JOSE — In a first-round match between wild cards at the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic, Bethanie Mattek-Sands upended Venus Williams for the first time in her career.
From a set down, and later, a break down at 1-0, 40-0 down in the final set, Mattek-Sands won six consecutive games Tuesday night to pull off an upset over the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 in the tournament being played at San Jose State University. Last year, Williams lost in the quarterfinals.
The 34-year-old American scored her first singles victory in more than a year, dating back to last year’s French Open, and also scored her first singles victory on hardcourts since the 2017 Miami Open.
Mattek-Sands won 27 of the last 31 points in the final set, as she scored victory in the first match between the two in seven years and her first in five career meetings against Williams.
“Venus is a legend, and it was awesome playing here. I love night matches,” Mattek-Sands said courtside after the match. “I really loved the atmosphere. I’m really enjoying it. It’s been a tough couple of years. I’ve had a few surgeries, I feel like I’ve had 12 surgeries, but I’m feeling really good.”
Mattek-Sands kept Williams off balance for the duration of the 2 hour, 21-minute match by utilizing dropshots and serve-and-volley play.
Mattek-Sands hit 34 winners to just 24 unforced errors in the match, more than keeping pace with Williams’ 31 winners and 34 unforced, and won seven of the 18 break points she created.
The current World No.674 won the first four games in the second set after dropping the first en route to capturing her first set against Williams in over a decade – dating back to the 2009 French Open – to set the stage for the decider.
Mattek-Sands advances to face No.6 seed Carla Suárez Navarro in the second round for a spot in the quarterfinals.
