Serena Williams was sensationally knocked out of the Australian Open third round by China's Wang Qiang on Friday, torpedoing her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown. "I think my team always believed I can do it," said 27th seed Wang, who lost 6-1, 6-0 to Williams in last year's US Open quarter-finals. Serving for the set, Wang won a full-blooded rally to bring up set point and then sealed it to go one set up -- a far cry from their last meeting in New York. Wang received a torrent of criticism from Chinese fans after her capitulation to Williams in the last eight at Flushing Meadows. The 28-year-old from Tianjin has now achieved her deepest Australian Open run, after reaching the third round last year -- a prelude to her best Major performance, at the US Open.

Source: Punch January 24, 2020 04:52 UTC