Break Point (2023) s01e08 Episode Script
Fairytale in New York
1
[hydraulic brakes squeaking]
[horns honking]
[intense electronic music playing]
[Ajla] Before we leave New York,
we have to go to Comedy Cellar.
- [woman] Okay.
- [Ajla] Hana got so drunk one year.
What are you talking about?
I'm a classy lady.
[passengers laughing]
There's nothing like a Slam in New York.
- [man 1] Good?
- [man 2] Wow.
[in Italian] There are cameras.
You will be on Netflix.
- [in English] How's New York?
- I love it. It's so good. Fellas.
[Felix] Being in New York for a
tournament, it has so much to offer.
[alarm chirping, horns honking]
[laughing]
I will change the whole season. Boom.
[announcer]
New York City, make some noise!
Sloane Stephens!
[cheering]
Winning the US Open, that's the peak.
It's the last Slam of the year
and you wanna give it that last push
and finish strong.
Félix, I'll do my best.
You and my three other supporters,
nine other.
[passengers laughing]
[Ajla] In my career,
I've lost certain matches,
that showed that I lacked
belief and courage.
I'm almost 30, so I don't have
many years left, you know?
But I know what I'm capable of,
and I know how much it all means to me.
I'm ready to change my life story.
[horn honks]
[electronic music playing]
[seller] US Open 2022 programs.
You'll never see it again, ever.
Ahh!
I was gonna say something
bad about Paula
- [laughing]
- but maybe in the next series.
- [woman] Oh!
- [man] Ahh!
- You're a player, right? Good.
- Yeah.
[Ajla] The US Open is so electric.
Yeah!
I love the atmosphere, it's something
something crazy.
[Sloane] It's intense. It's love drunk.
And actually drunk.
Like, it's all of those things.
- Whoo!
- Aaaaaah!
You got who's who in the crowd.
[people whooping excitedly]
[man] The energy
and the amount of people.
[crowd cheering]
You can feel the noise,
and that's different.
[intense music playing]
You'd better be able to manage that,
because even if you think it's not
gonna grab you, I promise you it will.
[commentator] But this year,
there's only one name on everyone's lips.
- Serena Williams.
- Serena Williams.
- Serena Williams.
- Serena Williams.
Who? [chuckles]
Serena Williams
shocked the sports world today.
Just a short time ago, Serena Williams
announced she's retiring from tennis
after this year's US Open.
[man] If anyone can muster up the strength
to win that one last Grand Slam,
it would be Serena Williams.
- Who are you here to see?
- Serena, of course.
We're gonna see Serena.
Let's go, Serena, baby.
Let's win this thing, man.
- This is a moment in history.
- Historic moment.
We're super super excited.
This is not history, it's herstory.
Serena is the OG, man, and this
is the last one, and I promise you,
she's here like,
"I'm trying to win the US Open."
[crowd cheering]
[Courtney] Serena is our Beyoncé.
And for a lot of these tennis fans,
they don't know tennis
without Serena Williams.
[calm music playing]
Women's tennis is faster, stronger, better
because of what
Serena Williams did for 30 years.
Like that straight through there.
There you go. Nice play.
[Sloane] Venus and Serena
have led the way in diversity,
introducing kids
who would never play tennis
and players playing because
they look like Venus and Serena.
[Ajla] If she's playing her best,
no one can beat her.
[announcer] Tennis fans, it's time to meet
our players for our first match.
[announcer 2] And, New York,
please welcome Iga Świątek!
Carlos Alcaraz!
Nick Kyrgios.
Frances Tiafoe.
Ajla Tomljanović.
[suspenseful music playing]
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] It was a battle,
but Frances Tiafoe had the answer.
One down.
[commentator 2] Oh, goodness me!
Saves the best till last.
[commentator 3] Tomljanović just
digging deep and finding a way through.
[tense music playing]
[Taylor] If there is any tournament
that I could have a big result at,
it'd be the US Open.
[electronic music playing]
It's been a great season.
I won Indian Wells.
[cheering]
[umpire] Game, set, match, Fritz.
[commentator]
Taylor Fritz is the king in California.
He ends Nadal's run.
[Taylor] It kind of woke me up
to how close I really am
to the very, very top,
and it's a really good feeling.
[commentator]
With the US Open kicking off,
all eyes are on the 24-year-old
American rising star that is Taylor Fritz.
- You okay?
- Mm-hmm. I'm good.
Just ready to play my match.
[Michael] There's a lot of pressure
on American tennis
to have that next Grand Slam Champion,
to have the next great American.
[electronic music playing]
[announcer] It's the US Open Championship.
[Paul] We've been talking about the next
set of great players for a long time,
and I think that that's
a blessing and a curse,
because we're used to legends.
[woman] Hi, Taylor!
- Taylor!
- Nice to see you.
[Paul] But being American
and to walk into that venue
and to be the one that people are pointing
at saying, "That's our next champion,"
that is paralyzing.
[tense music playing]
- Still gotta grip that one today.
- All set?
In the US, everyone wants to have
the best in everything,
so no one really cares if you're,
like, five in the world in tennis.
People are really only gonna care
if you win the tournament.
[announcer] Let's welcome the players for
our final match here on the Grandstand
from the United States of America,
your number ten seed, Taylor Fritz!
[cheering]
[commentator]
A matchup between two Americans.
The top-ranked American in the world,
Taylor Fritz,
and Brandon Holt, a qualifier.
This is Brandon Holt's first-ever match
in a major main draw.
[umpire] First set. Brandon Holt to serve.
Ready. Play.
[suspenseful music playing]
Love-15.
[tense electronic music playing]
Come on. Come on.
[commentator] Set point now.
An amazing sequence
of points from Taylor Fritz
right at the end of the set.
[umpire] Second set.
[spectators sigh]
[commentator] And a break
of serve for Brandon Holt.
Let's go, Taylor, right here. Come on.
[Morgan] He has certain little ticks
that he does when he's nervous.
I don't know if anybody else
would even really notice,
but it's just telling me
his mental game is not there.
[umpire] Game and second set to Holt.
[commentator] Brandon Holt
takes the second set.
Fist bumps all around.
[Taylor] It's so much, the expectations,
that I can't think properly on the court.
I can't strategize properly.
I can't make the right decision.
[umpire] Third set.
Game, Holt.
[Taylor] I've got too much to lose.
How bad it would be
to lose this first round.
[commentator] And there is the set
to the young man
making his tour level debut,
Brandon Holt.
[commentator 2] Bit of an upset
on the books right now.
[umpire] Fourth set.
[Taylor] I'm playing too much not to lose.
Not playing enough to win.
[cheering]
If you're scared to lose,
then that's where things fall apart.
[commentator]
And match point for Brandon Holt.
[tense music playing]
[cheering]
[umpire] Three sets to one: six-seven, seven-six
[commentator] Brandon Holt
undoubtedly the biggest win
of his tennis career,
takes out number ten seed Taylor Fritz.
[cheering]
[Taylor] People actually had me as, like,
one of the favorites to win the event.
I believed it.
[Taylor] It's always really tough
when you put a lot of expectations
on one specific tournament.
I always say I don't like doing that,
I like to just play every tournament
like it's the same.
The reality is, obviously,
it's not the same.
There's four tournaments
that are substantially more important
than all the other ones.
So, you know, that sucks, but
Just a shit match.
[soft music playing]
You did really well,
that kid played unbelievable against you.
- I also played like fucking shit.
- Well, it was tough.
I had such high hopes for that tournament,
and I just really feel like
I let myself down
and I let a lot of people down.
[melancholic music playing]
[suspenseful music playing]
[commentator] Is there a bigger sporting
event going on in the United States?
Not tonight.
[announcer]
The greatest of all time, Serena Williams.
[commentator 2] This is unlike
any opening night we've ever seen here.
[commentator 1]
There's six layers on her skirt
to honor the six US Open titles
she's already won.
There is diamonds all over her shoes,
400 hand-set diamonds.
[Paul] The magnitude of
Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium,
the world's biggest stage,
there's nothing like that.
It truly is the best atmosphere
for Serena Williams,
to be embraced by an audience
that has followed you for so many years.
[commentator 2] Seeing a match that
could be this emotional for Serena.
So tough to know how players handle it.
[intense music playing]
[Andy] Serena puts on a show and has
the crowd in the palm of her hand.
She's potentially the most
intimidating player in history.
[umpire] Game, first set, Williams.
[Andy] I mean, Venus won five Wimbledons
and she's the second best player
in her family.
[laughs] It doesn't make any sense.
[umpire]
Game, set, Williams. Two sets to love.
[commentator]
The GOAT goes to the second round.
[crowd noise fading out]
Okay, Ajla, you're on your own then.
[Ajla] I've watched Serena
since I can remember.
She's the reason
I kinda dreamed big as a kid.
[soft music playing]
During the years, I saw this seriousness,
but also passion about the sport.
When she showed me this passion,
my dream was to help her in that journey.
[in Croatian] Use the spin
and mix things up, that's exactly it.
[in English] We decided to move
to the States because of tennis.
I knew that if we were going to States,
I will not go to work.
In Croatia, I was a professional athlete
and I play handball,
that's what I did for a living.
The life was good.
Everything was perfect for us.
We were talking for days and then I said,
"Look, at the end of the day,
she wants that so badly,
she's good, she's talented, I mean,
what kind of parents would we be if we
don't give her a real shot for that?"
[cheers and applause]
[man] She was hitter and everything.
[Ratko] If she can hit like this,
that's the key.
[Ajla] All my parents tried to do
was just give me everything possibly
that they could,
so I could achieve my dreams.
Papa.
[woman laughing]
[Ajla] I knew it wasn't smooth sailing,
but my dad, I think he could relate
to my passion for sports.
[woman] Ajla.
[Ajla] And I think he loved
just seeing me do what I love.
I'm so thankful for that.
I'm very fortunate that I had my family
that wanted to make my dreams come true.
Now, all I want to do is make them proud.
[commentator] A very warm welcome
to day four, continued coverage
from USTA
Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
[suspenseful electronic music playing]
[commentator 2] Tiafoe!
He's digging the New York experience.
Disappointing for Auger-Aliassime.
Ajla Tomljanović is into the third round.
[commentator 1] Round two continues
with Serena Williams
set to take on Anett Kontaveit.
Serena hasn't played a lot
over the last year,
so she will need to defy the odds.
[straining]
I'm Anett Kontaveit. I'm 26 years old,
and I'm from Estonia.
My current world ranking
is number two in the world.
[man] It's important to be ready
for a few things,
and you know the crowd is
gonna be on her side.
- Obviously.
- A lot. But I think you can handle that.
Just go out and try playing
your best tennis, you know?
If you win that match, it would be
very nice for you to say something like,
"This is her night, obviously
she's a GOAT," and whatever comes to mind.
Yeah, obviously.
I think that will be classier.
But you know that already, so
- Yeah.
- Okay, sounds good. Let's do it.
[crowd whooping, talking]
[tense music playing]
[announcer] From Estonia, Anett Kontaveit.
[Anett] I've never seen so many people
on Arthur Ashe before.
[commentator] She's the number two seed
playing number 605
Serena Williams.
[loud cheering]
[umpire] Please, ladies and gentlemen.
[cheering]
[commentator] The Serena Williams serve,
such a huge weapon.
[umpire] Game, Williams.
[commentator] You definitely
have to like that from Serena.
That felt like a message.
[tense music playing]
[commentator]
Kontaveit's second double fault.
[Anett] It's super loud.
They're all cheering for her.
I am at her home,
playing her in her house.
[commentator] Set point.
[cheering]
Listen to this place!
Come on, let's just have this. Come on.
[intense music playing]
[commentator] Kontaveit has come out
so well after dropping that first set.
[umpire] Set point.
Game, set, Kontaveit.
[commentator]
Kontaveit takes this into a third set.
[commentator 2] It's almost not fair
for Kontaveit that she's playing Serena,
she's playing the crowd, she's playing
New York under the bright lights.
[umpire] Fault.
30-40.
[Anett] She just suddenly changes gears
and starts playing better.
The crowd goes crazy.
It's difficult to handle.
[commentator] Match point.
The legend lives on.
[upbeat music playing]
Standing O.
[commentator 2]
Disappointment for Anett Kontaveit.
Just seemed to be too much for her,
and certainly Serena, she put it together.
[Anett] The whole match was emotionally
one of the hardest things
that I've gone through on court.
[host] Simply incredible.
You've only played
a handful of matches since coming back.
You were off for a year. And you just beat
the number two player in the world.
[cheering]
How did you do it?
[Serena] Well, I'm a pretty good player.
[laughing]
[crowd cheers]
[host] Well, congratulations, Serena,
it was a phenomenal effort.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
[loud cheering]
[Anett] It's not about me
losing to Serena.
It was just super overwhelming, like
I never want to do this again.
[man] It's just a little bit more,
so it's okay. It's fine.
It's just a tennis match.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Paul] This isn't normal.
Serena's just of a different mold.
[Andy] Everyone's going,
"Is she gonna win this?"
That's how quickly we can change
the conversation because of the greatness
that Serena's shown.
You said to me going into this match,
"The celebration continues."
So, looking ahead,
what can we expect for round three?
[woman] It's gonna be
another competitive match,
now up against Ajla Tomljanović.
Fuck. Like, wow.
Shit. Like, I am playing Serena
on Arthur Ashe
in the third round
at 7:00 p.m. on a Friday night.
[tense music playing]
I mean, she just beat Anett.
[in Estonian] I'm definitely
not ashamed to lose to Serena,
but handling the crowd and everything else
was very difficult.
I think that might have been
the hardest part about the whole thing.
[man in Estonian]
Serena moved the Okay.
[man in English] Thank you.
[Ajla] I saw Anett's press conference
after and, I mean, she was in tears.
My mind is, like, running in circles.
I need to do everything I can
to feel ready and fight.
[siren blaring]
[Ajla] Guys, are you ready for this video?
[Ajla] I'm really sad to say that
I've never faced Serena in my career,
but there's still a chance maybe
at the US Open, but who knows?
No way.
Cincinnati. My interview was in Cin
- Where was this?
- Cincinnati.
Oh, wow. I just got goosebumps.
[Ajla]
First, we get the drinks. And then
[woman] No, we get food and then drinks.
[Hana] You know, you guys are the worst
in making decisions.
Okay, can someone go get us drinks
Are we superstitious
that we get the drinks after the food?
- No. Who is superstitious? Are you?
- No. Listen.
It's gonna take a lot more to win than
you getting your bagel before your drink.
But you know what, we like routine.
Félix, give me some advice.
- [Félix] Have you played on Ashe before?
- No, this is my first time on Ashe.
- It's in this really high
- It's steep, isn't it?
and feels like
people are on top of you.
- [sighs] All right.
- You got this, girl.
Bye.
[dog barks]
[announcements over loudspeaker]
- [cheering and applause]
- [fans] Serena!
[calm electronic music playing]
[commentator] What on earth
is happening out here
at the moment at the US Open?
[commentator 2] Something pretty special.
[commentator 1] It's mind boggling.
She's turning 41 next month,
and Serena Williams
has found a way to win.
[cheering]
[Ajla] Hana has been, like,
the biggest Serena fan in our family.
Is that true or not?
- Mostly true. Yes.
- Yeah. I have.
- [Ajla] Take your pick, Hana.
- I took my pick.
Good luck. [laughing]
I think we're in business.
We're in business, guys.
Move these stupid bottles.
Not that I'm bragging about myself, but
[Ajla] But I am.
can you imagine in some shit hole
in old Yugoslavia,
we played a match
and there were like 5,000 people.
They're throwing everything
on you, like, you know?
So, the guys are beating you
and you have to win the match.
Then you lost?
No, we won. We won.
No, I'm just saying.
And you are now playing and the guys
are cheering for the other girl. So what?
[Hana] Not the guys, 30,000 people.
- [Ajla] I didn't say it, like
- 30,000?
[Hana] Yeah.
That stadium has 30,000 people.
- [Ajla] Yeah.
- Yeah.
Hey, guys, we are fucked.
[laughing]
Oh, my God.
[pensive music playing]
[Ajla] If you play Serena,
you don't really believe you can win.
[phone ringing]
[Ajla] Chrissy is calling me.
Hey, Chrissy. I'm in my room.
[Chris Evert] Look, you gotta show
some balls out there tomorrow night.
You gotta show some balls.
Not in your tennis playing,
but just don't
She's American,
they're gonna be cheering for her.
Don't let that bother you, okay?
Yeah.
Honestly, it's nothing personal,
it's nothing personal.
[upbeat music playing]
[Ajla] At the end of the day, you're gonna
be part of history, no matter what.
Oh, there's Serena.
I don't think I've ever been
part of history.
I don't wanna step on the court
and be overwhelmed,
I wanna step on the court
and feel like I belong here
and that, you know, I can win today,
even with the crowd against me
and someone as big as Serena
at the other side of the net.
I have to manage my emotions well
tonight and be more fearless than usually,
just because there is a chance that I
could get overwhelmed and intimidated.
I just wanna go out there
and have no doubts.
[Ratko] I will tell you one thing
what is for sure.
We are not bullshitting each other, right?
If you don't enjoy the moment,
you will regret all your life for that.
I will enjoy every moment.
Yeah.
[commentator] For the third night
in a row, we've got Serena Williams
headlining the night session.
It's all the talk.
[commentator 2]
I see everyone tweeting about it.
We had VP Harris tweeting about it.
We have LeBron.
Everyone is talking
about Serena right now.
[commentator 1]
And it's this absolute love fest.
[in Croatian] At that point,
no more "nice girl" attitude.
And I'll tell you something:
don't allow yourself
to be part of her show.
It's her show, obviously.
Don't be a part of her show,
we have our show.
Okay?
You didn't come here to be in her shadow.
No, you came here to win.
You came here
to remove her and to retire her.
It's really important, okay?
[commentator] Ajla Tomljanović
is going to try to stop Serena Williams
inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
[tense music playing]
[Ajla] I'm going on a court
where nobody wants me to win.
I'm playing the greatest of all time.
Fuck me.
[man] Three, two
[Ajla] But then I see
the "pressure is a privilege" sign,
and I think as much as
this is about Serena,
this is such a big moment in my career.
[announcer] New York,
please welcome Ajla Tomljanović!
[Ajla]
And I just wanna take advantage of it.
I don't wanna look up, because I don't
wanna see how full the stadium is.
I'm gonna take my time
with my wrist bands.
I'm gonna retie my shoes.
[cheering]
[announcer]
The greatest of all time, Serena Williams.
[Ajla] Then I hear this huge roar
all of a sudden,
and I'm like, okay,
I can go to the net now.
[commentator] This is about
as big as it gets in tennis.
Let's see just how ready
Ajla Tomljanović is to meet this moment.
Serena Williams starts this match.
[umpire] Ready? Play.
[Ajla] Everything I've done prior to this
doesn't matter anymore,
because this is the exact moment
that I've been waiting for.
[suspenseful music playing]
[cheering]
[commentator]
Serena is very relaxed out there.
Come on!
[commentator 2]
That was an emphatic return.
Well done. Come on.
And immediately,
Serena Williams is broken.
[umpire] First game.
[Ajla] Whatever nerves I was feeling,
they're gone.
This match is mine to play.
[tense electronic music playing]
[commentator 2] So good.
Just terrific play from Ajla Tomljanović.
That's what Serena's fighting.
She's acting like she belongs out there.
That is tremendous stuff.
What composure from Ajla Tomljanović.
Taking the opening set against
one of the all-time greats,
who's playing very well.
[commentator 1] And I think
even more than that,
she's embracing this moment,
whatever it entails.
[Ajla] Wow, I just won the first set
off of Serena.
I could genuinely win this match.
But I don't want my mind to go there.
[umpire] Williams to serve.
- [Serena groans]
- [spectators gasp]
[cheering]
[commentator] What a snappy start
to this second set for Serena Williams.
[umpire]
Thank you. Players are ready now.
Game, Williams.
[loud cheering]
[commentator]
I wish I could describe this noise.
[loud cheering continues]
[Ajla] The crowd goes absolutely nuts,
to the point where I can't
even hear my own thoughts.
[commentator]
Tomljanović playing about 24,000 people.
[Ajla] And I wanna
scream back at everybody.
There's a lot of rage that I'm feeling.
I'm gonna lose my composure.
I'm gonna show everyone my weakness.
[commentator] And a set point.
[cheering]
[Ajla] You just screwed up
and potentially cost yourself the match.
This is the difference between Serena
being Serena and me being me.
[umpire] One set all.
[Ajla] Serena runs away with matches
like this in the third set.
[umpire] New balls.
- Come on, dominate the court.
- Come on, Ajla.
[Ajla] My dad always taught me
since I was a kid,
"Whatever happens,
you be the one that decides
how you win or lose this match."
[tense music playing]
"You can do this, Ajla. Be brave."
[umpire] Game, Tomljanović.
- Well done, Ajla!
- That's it!
[suspenseful music playing]
[Ajla] This is everything
I've ever dreamed of,
playing Serena on a stage like this,
getting her to a point where she feels
like she has to bring out everything.
[commentator] This is not your standard
third-round tennis match.
The quality is exceptional.
No one in Ashe will ever forget the fact
that they got to be here for this.
[umpire] Game, Tomljanović.
Let's go, Ajla. Whoo!
[commentator] Match point.
Tomljanović's reputation in the past
is that she's not a good closer.
Serena knows that reputation, right?
[triumphant music playing]
The greatest match
of Ajla Tomljanović's life
against the greatest of all time.
[Serena] Thank you so much.
You guys were amazing today.
Thank you, Daddy. I know you're watching.
Um
Thanks, Mom.
Oh, my God.
Thank you, everyone.
Ajla, congratulations.
What a special night.
You played unbelievable.
What are you gonna remember the most
about this historic night for you?
I love Serena just as much as you guys do
and this is a surreal moment for me.
[cheering]
She embodies that no dream is too big,
and it doesn't matter where you come from,
you know, the circumstances,
you can do anything if you believe
in yourself, you love what you do,
and you have an incredible support system
and family around you.
I will definitely miss seeing her
on the courts, it will not be the same.
Ajla, congratulations.
Terrific night. Terrific match.
Best of luck in your next one.
Thank you.
[triumphant music continues]
I feel so, I don't know, like, conflicted.
Just never had such a big win,
had to like keep it
I don't know, feels weird.
[laughs] You know what?
Hopefully she really retired,
then you have 1-0 with her.
Positive score. That's my girl.
- Ow.
- What ow?
You know what? Now you put the bar here
But why do I feel so conflicted?
I don't know, I feel
Because you like her so much
and you are sad that you beat her,
but you're too nice.
I'm not too nice.
I wasn't too nice when I played.
No, you played great. Yeah.
But my point is now you've set the bar.
You know what you set the bar for?
- What?
- Enjoying the moment.
Okay, fair enough.
But I told you I will enjoy. Did I say?
[in Croatian] You played so well!
[Ajla] That's probably
the proudest moment in my career.
I just proved to myself
that I belong here.
[announcer] The number one player
in the world, Iga Świątek!
[Courtney] It's the longest win streak
we've seen in a century.
The machine will do everything
in order to be the best; I like that.
Whoa, shiny.
[man] What's it like to be
world number one?
Uh
Everywhere we go, we go to win.
We are not tourists.
[Iga] I have a lot going on, on my mind.
[commentator] Świątek's
getting distracted,
there's a lot of noise
going around between serves.
[cheering]
Świątek is now under pressure.
[commentator 2] Frances Tiafoe
represents the American dream.
I have one crazy story.
[Chris Evert]
It's hard not to root for him.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
[woman] He's going to play Rafa
on Arthur Ashe at the US Open.
[commentator] The biggest night
in the American's career.
You're like, oh, damn. [laughs]
[hydraulic brakes squeaking]
[horns honking]
[intense electronic music playing]
[Ajla] Before we leave New York,
we have to go to Comedy Cellar.
- [woman] Okay.
- [Ajla] Hana got so drunk one year.
What are you talking about?
I'm a classy lady.
[passengers laughing]
There's nothing like a Slam in New York.
- [man 1] Good?
- [man 2] Wow.
[in Italian] There are cameras.
You will be on Netflix.
- [in English] How's New York?
- I love it. It's so good. Fellas.
[Felix] Being in New York for a
tournament, it has so much to offer.
[alarm chirping, horns honking]
[laughing]
I will change the whole season. Boom.
[announcer]
New York City, make some noise!
Sloane Stephens!
[cheering]
Winning the US Open, that's the peak.
It's the last Slam of the year
and you wanna give it that last push
and finish strong.
Félix, I'll do my best.
You and my three other supporters,
nine other.
[passengers laughing]
[Ajla] In my career,
I've lost certain matches,
that showed that I lacked
belief and courage.
I'm almost 30, so I don't have
many years left, you know?
But I know what I'm capable of,
and I know how much it all means to me.
I'm ready to change my life story.
[horn honks]
[electronic music playing]
[seller] US Open 2022 programs.
You'll never see it again, ever.
Ahh!
I was gonna say something
bad about Paula
- [laughing]
- but maybe in the next series.
- [woman] Oh!
- [man] Ahh!
- You're a player, right? Good.
- Yeah.
[Ajla] The US Open is so electric.
Yeah!
I love the atmosphere, it's something
something crazy.
[Sloane] It's intense. It's love drunk.
And actually drunk.
Like, it's all of those things.
- Whoo!
- Aaaaaah!
You got who's who in the crowd.
[people whooping excitedly]
[man] The energy
and the amount of people.
[crowd cheering]
You can feel the noise,
and that's different.
[intense music playing]
You'd better be able to manage that,
because even if you think it's not
gonna grab you, I promise you it will.
[commentator] But this year,
there's only one name on everyone's lips.
- Serena Williams.
- Serena Williams.
- Serena Williams.
- Serena Williams.
Who? [chuckles]
Serena Williams
shocked the sports world today.
Just a short time ago, Serena Williams
announced she's retiring from tennis
after this year's US Open.
[man] If anyone can muster up the strength
to win that one last Grand Slam,
it would be Serena Williams.
- Who are you here to see?
- Serena, of course.
We're gonna see Serena.
Let's go, Serena, baby.
Let's win this thing, man.
- This is a moment in history.
- Historic moment.
We're super super excited.
This is not history, it's herstory.
Serena is the OG, man, and this
is the last one, and I promise you,
she's here like,
"I'm trying to win the US Open."
[crowd cheering]
[Courtney] Serena is our Beyoncé.
And for a lot of these tennis fans,
they don't know tennis
without Serena Williams.
[calm music playing]
Women's tennis is faster, stronger, better
because of what
Serena Williams did for 30 years.
Like that straight through there.
There you go. Nice play.
[Sloane] Venus and Serena
have led the way in diversity,
introducing kids
who would never play tennis
and players playing because
they look like Venus and Serena.
[Ajla] If she's playing her best,
no one can beat her.
[announcer] Tennis fans, it's time to meet
our players for our first match.
[announcer 2] And, New York,
please welcome Iga Świątek!
Carlos Alcaraz!
Nick Kyrgios.
Frances Tiafoe.
Ajla Tomljanović.
[suspenseful music playing]
[crowd cheering]
[commentator] It was a battle,
but Frances Tiafoe had the answer.
One down.
[commentator 2] Oh, goodness me!
Saves the best till last.
[commentator 3] Tomljanović just
digging deep and finding a way through.
[tense music playing]
[Taylor] If there is any tournament
that I could have a big result at,
it'd be the US Open.
[electronic music playing]
It's been a great season.
I won Indian Wells.
[cheering]
[umpire] Game, set, match, Fritz.
[commentator]
Taylor Fritz is the king in California.
He ends Nadal's run.
[Taylor] It kind of woke me up
to how close I really am
to the very, very top,
and it's a really good feeling.
[commentator]
With the US Open kicking off,
all eyes are on the 24-year-old
American rising star that is Taylor Fritz.
- You okay?
- Mm-hmm. I'm good.
Just ready to play my match.
[Michael] There's a lot of pressure
on American tennis
to have that next Grand Slam Champion,
to have the next great American.
[electronic music playing]
[announcer] It's the US Open Championship.
[Paul] We've been talking about the next
set of great players for a long time,
and I think that that's
a blessing and a curse,
because we're used to legends.
[woman] Hi, Taylor!
- Taylor!
- Nice to see you.
[Paul] But being American
and to walk into that venue
and to be the one that people are pointing
at saying, "That's our next champion,"
that is paralyzing.
[tense music playing]
- Still gotta grip that one today.
- All set?
In the US, everyone wants to have
the best in everything,
so no one really cares if you're,
like, five in the world in tennis.
People are really only gonna care
if you win the tournament.
[announcer] Let's welcome the players for
our final match here on the Grandstand
from the United States of America,
your number ten seed, Taylor Fritz!
[cheering]
[commentator]
A matchup between two Americans.
The top-ranked American in the world,
Taylor Fritz,
and Brandon Holt, a qualifier.
This is Brandon Holt's first-ever match
in a major main draw.
[umpire] First set. Brandon Holt to serve.
Ready. Play.
[suspenseful music playing]
Love-15.
[tense electronic music playing]
Come on. Come on.
[commentator] Set point now.
An amazing sequence
of points from Taylor Fritz
right at the end of the set.
[umpire] Second set.
[spectators sigh]
[commentator] And a break
of serve for Brandon Holt.
Let's go, Taylor, right here. Come on.
[Morgan] He has certain little ticks
that he does when he's nervous.
I don't know if anybody else
would even really notice,
but it's just telling me
his mental game is not there.
[umpire] Game and second set to Holt.
[commentator] Brandon Holt
takes the second set.
Fist bumps all around.
[Taylor] It's so much, the expectations,
that I can't think properly on the court.
I can't strategize properly.
I can't make the right decision.
[umpire] Third set.
Game, Holt.
[Taylor] I've got too much to lose.
How bad it would be
to lose this first round.
[commentator] And there is the set
to the young man
making his tour level debut,
Brandon Holt.
[commentator 2] Bit of an upset
on the books right now.
[umpire] Fourth set.
[Taylor] I'm playing too much not to lose.
Not playing enough to win.
[cheering]
If you're scared to lose,
then that's where things fall apart.
[commentator]
And match point for Brandon Holt.
[tense music playing]
[cheering]
[umpire] Three sets to one: six-seven, seven-six
[commentator] Brandon Holt
undoubtedly the biggest win
of his tennis career,
takes out number ten seed Taylor Fritz.
[cheering]
[Taylor] People actually had me as, like,
one of the favorites to win the event.
I believed it.
[Taylor] It's always really tough
when you put a lot of expectations
on one specific tournament.
I always say I don't like doing that,
I like to just play every tournament
like it's the same.
The reality is, obviously,
it's not the same.
There's four tournaments
that are substantially more important
than all the other ones.
So, you know, that sucks, but
Just a shit match.
[soft music playing]
You did really well,
that kid played unbelievable against you.
- I also played like fucking shit.
- Well, it was tough.
I had such high hopes for that tournament,
and I just really feel like
I let myself down
and I let a lot of people down.
[melancholic music playing]
[suspenseful music playing]
[commentator] Is there a bigger sporting
event going on in the United States?
Not tonight.
[announcer]
The greatest of all time, Serena Williams.
[commentator 2] This is unlike
any opening night we've ever seen here.
[commentator 1]
There's six layers on her skirt
to honor the six US Open titles
she's already won.
There is diamonds all over her shoes,
400 hand-set diamonds.
[Paul] The magnitude of
Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium,
the world's biggest stage,
there's nothing like that.
It truly is the best atmosphere
for Serena Williams,
to be embraced by an audience
that has followed you for so many years.
[commentator 2] Seeing a match that
could be this emotional for Serena.
So tough to know how players handle it.
[intense music playing]
[Andy] Serena puts on a show and has
the crowd in the palm of her hand.
She's potentially the most
intimidating player in history.
[umpire] Game, first set, Williams.
[Andy] I mean, Venus won five Wimbledons
and she's the second best player
in her family.
[laughs] It doesn't make any sense.
[umpire]
Game, set, Williams. Two sets to love.
[commentator]
The GOAT goes to the second round.
[crowd noise fading out]
Okay, Ajla, you're on your own then.
[Ajla] I've watched Serena
since I can remember.
She's the reason
I kinda dreamed big as a kid.
[soft music playing]
During the years, I saw this seriousness,
but also passion about the sport.
When she showed me this passion,
my dream was to help her in that journey.
[in Croatian] Use the spin
and mix things up, that's exactly it.
[in English] We decided to move
to the States because of tennis.
I knew that if we were going to States,
I will not go to work.
In Croatia, I was a professional athlete
and I play handball,
that's what I did for a living.
The life was good.
Everything was perfect for us.
We were talking for days and then I said,
"Look, at the end of the day,
she wants that so badly,
she's good, she's talented, I mean,
what kind of parents would we be if we
don't give her a real shot for that?"
[cheers and applause]
[man] She was hitter and everything.
[Ratko] If she can hit like this,
that's the key.
[Ajla] All my parents tried to do
was just give me everything possibly
that they could,
so I could achieve my dreams.
Papa.
[woman laughing]
[Ajla] I knew it wasn't smooth sailing,
but my dad, I think he could relate
to my passion for sports.
[woman] Ajla.
[Ajla] And I think he loved
just seeing me do what I love.
I'm so thankful for that.
I'm very fortunate that I had my family
that wanted to make my dreams come true.
Now, all I want to do is make them proud.
[commentator] A very warm welcome
to day four, continued coverage
from USTA
Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
[suspenseful electronic music playing]
[commentator 2] Tiafoe!
He's digging the New York experience.
Disappointing for Auger-Aliassime.
Ajla Tomljanović is into the third round.
[commentator 1] Round two continues
with Serena Williams
set to take on Anett Kontaveit.
Serena hasn't played a lot
over the last year,
so she will need to defy the odds.
[straining]
I'm Anett Kontaveit. I'm 26 years old,
and I'm from Estonia.
My current world ranking
is number two in the world.
[man] It's important to be ready
for a few things,
and you know the crowd is
gonna be on her side.
- Obviously.
- A lot. But I think you can handle that.
Just go out and try playing
your best tennis, you know?
If you win that match, it would be
very nice for you to say something like,
"This is her night, obviously
she's a GOAT," and whatever comes to mind.
Yeah, obviously.
I think that will be classier.
But you know that already, so
- Yeah.
- Okay, sounds good. Let's do it.
[crowd whooping, talking]
[tense music playing]
[announcer] From Estonia, Anett Kontaveit.
[Anett] I've never seen so many people
on Arthur Ashe before.
[commentator] She's the number two seed
playing number 605
Serena Williams.
[loud cheering]
[umpire] Please, ladies and gentlemen.
[cheering]
[commentator] The Serena Williams serve,
such a huge weapon.
[umpire] Game, Williams.
[commentator] You definitely
have to like that from Serena.
That felt like a message.
[tense music playing]
[commentator]
Kontaveit's second double fault.
[Anett] It's super loud.
They're all cheering for her.
I am at her home,
playing her in her house.
[commentator] Set point.
[cheering]
Listen to this place!
Come on, let's just have this. Come on.
[intense music playing]
[commentator] Kontaveit has come out
so well after dropping that first set.
[umpire] Set point.
Game, set, Kontaveit.
[commentator]
Kontaveit takes this into a third set.
[commentator 2] It's almost not fair
for Kontaveit that she's playing Serena,
she's playing the crowd, she's playing
New York under the bright lights.
[umpire] Fault.
30-40.
[Anett] She just suddenly changes gears
and starts playing better.
The crowd goes crazy.
It's difficult to handle.
[commentator] Match point.
The legend lives on.
[upbeat music playing]
Standing O.
[commentator 2]
Disappointment for Anett Kontaveit.
Just seemed to be too much for her,
and certainly Serena, she put it together.
[Anett] The whole match was emotionally
one of the hardest things
that I've gone through on court.
[host] Simply incredible.
You've only played
a handful of matches since coming back.
You were off for a year. And you just beat
the number two player in the world.
[cheering]
How did you do it?
[Serena] Well, I'm a pretty good player.
[laughing]
[crowd cheers]
[host] Well, congratulations, Serena,
it was a phenomenal effort.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
[loud cheering]
[Anett] It's not about me
losing to Serena.
It was just super overwhelming, like
I never want to do this again.
[man] It's just a little bit more,
so it's okay. It's fine.
It's just a tennis match.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Paul] This isn't normal.
Serena's just of a different mold.
[Andy] Everyone's going,
"Is she gonna win this?"
That's how quickly we can change
the conversation because of the greatness
that Serena's shown.
You said to me going into this match,
"The celebration continues."
So, looking ahead,
what can we expect for round three?
[woman] It's gonna be
another competitive match,
now up against Ajla Tomljanović.
Fuck. Like, wow.
Shit. Like, I am playing Serena
on Arthur Ashe
in the third round
at 7:00 p.m. on a Friday night.
[tense music playing]
I mean, she just beat Anett.
[in Estonian] I'm definitely
not ashamed to lose to Serena,
but handling the crowd and everything else
was very difficult.
I think that might have been
the hardest part about the whole thing.
[man in Estonian]
Serena moved the Okay.
[man in English] Thank you.
[Ajla] I saw Anett's press conference
after and, I mean, she was in tears.
My mind is, like, running in circles.
I need to do everything I can
to feel ready and fight.
[siren blaring]
[Ajla] Guys, are you ready for this video?
[Ajla] I'm really sad to say that
I've never faced Serena in my career,
but there's still a chance maybe
at the US Open, but who knows?
No way.
Cincinnati. My interview was in Cin
- Where was this?
- Cincinnati.
Oh, wow. I just got goosebumps.
[Ajla]
First, we get the drinks. And then
[woman] No, we get food and then drinks.
[Hana] You know, you guys are the worst
in making decisions.
Okay, can someone go get us drinks
Are we superstitious
that we get the drinks after the food?
- No. Who is superstitious? Are you?
- No. Listen.
It's gonna take a lot more to win than
you getting your bagel before your drink.
But you know what, we like routine.
Félix, give me some advice.
- [Félix] Have you played on Ashe before?
- No, this is my first time on Ashe.
- It's in this really high
- It's steep, isn't it?
and feels like
people are on top of you.
- [sighs] All right.
- You got this, girl.
Bye.
[dog barks]
[announcements over loudspeaker]
- [cheering and applause]
- [fans] Serena!
[calm electronic music playing]
[commentator] What on earth
is happening out here
at the moment at the US Open?
[commentator 2] Something pretty special.
[commentator 1] It's mind boggling.
She's turning 41 next month,
and Serena Williams
has found a way to win.
[cheering]
[Ajla] Hana has been, like,
the biggest Serena fan in our family.
Is that true or not?
- Mostly true. Yes.
- Yeah. I have.
- [Ajla] Take your pick, Hana.
- I took my pick.
Good luck. [laughing]
I think we're in business.
We're in business, guys.
Move these stupid bottles.
Not that I'm bragging about myself, but
[Ajla] But I am.
can you imagine in some shit hole
in old Yugoslavia,
we played a match
and there were like 5,000 people.
They're throwing everything
on you, like, you know?
So, the guys are beating you
and you have to win the match.
Then you lost?
No, we won. We won.
No, I'm just saying.
And you are now playing and the guys
are cheering for the other girl. So what?
[Hana] Not the guys, 30,000 people.
- [Ajla] I didn't say it, like
- 30,000?
[Hana] Yeah.
That stadium has 30,000 people.
- [Ajla] Yeah.
- Yeah.
Hey, guys, we are fucked.
[laughing]
Oh, my God.
[pensive music playing]
[Ajla] If you play Serena,
you don't really believe you can win.
[phone ringing]
[Ajla] Chrissy is calling me.
Hey, Chrissy. I'm in my room.
[Chris Evert] Look, you gotta show
some balls out there tomorrow night.
You gotta show some balls.
Not in your tennis playing,
but just don't
She's American,
they're gonna be cheering for her.
Don't let that bother you, okay?
Yeah.
Honestly, it's nothing personal,
it's nothing personal.
[upbeat music playing]
[Ajla] At the end of the day, you're gonna
be part of history, no matter what.
Oh, there's Serena.
I don't think I've ever been
part of history.
I don't wanna step on the court
and be overwhelmed,
I wanna step on the court
and feel like I belong here
and that, you know, I can win today,
even with the crowd against me
and someone as big as Serena
at the other side of the net.
I have to manage my emotions well
tonight and be more fearless than usually,
just because there is a chance that I
could get overwhelmed and intimidated.
I just wanna go out there
and have no doubts.
[Ratko] I will tell you one thing
what is for sure.
We are not bullshitting each other, right?
If you don't enjoy the moment,
you will regret all your life for that.
I will enjoy every moment.
Yeah.
[commentator] For the third night
in a row, we've got Serena Williams
headlining the night session.
It's all the talk.
[commentator 2]
I see everyone tweeting about it.
We had VP Harris tweeting about it.
We have LeBron.
Everyone is talking
about Serena right now.
[commentator 1]
And it's this absolute love fest.
[in Croatian] At that point,
no more "nice girl" attitude.
And I'll tell you something:
don't allow yourself
to be part of her show.
It's her show, obviously.
Don't be a part of her show,
we have our show.
Okay?
You didn't come here to be in her shadow.
No, you came here to win.
You came here
to remove her and to retire her.
It's really important, okay?
[commentator] Ajla Tomljanović
is going to try to stop Serena Williams
inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
[tense music playing]
[Ajla] I'm going on a court
where nobody wants me to win.
I'm playing the greatest of all time.
Fuck me.
[man] Three, two
[Ajla] But then I see
the "pressure is a privilege" sign,
and I think as much as
this is about Serena,
this is such a big moment in my career.
[announcer] New York,
please welcome Ajla Tomljanović!
[Ajla]
And I just wanna take advantage of it.
I don't wanna look up, because I don't
wanna see how full the stadium is.
I'm gonna take my time
with my wrist bands.
I'm gonna retie my shoes.
[cheering]
[announcer]
The greatest of all time, Serena Williams.
[Ajla] Then I hear this huge roar
all of a sudden,
and I'm like, okay,
I can go to the net now.
[commentator] This is about
as big as it gets in tennis.
Let's see just how ready
Ajla Tomljanović is to meet this moment.
Serena Williams starts this match.
[umpire] Ready? Play.
[Ajla] Everything I've done prior to this
doesn't matter anymore,
because this is the exact moment
that I've been waiting for.
[suspenseful music playing]
[cheering]
[commentator]
Serena is very relaxed out there.
Come on!
[commentator 2]
That was an emphatic return.
Well done. Come on.
And immediately,
Serena Williams is broken.
[umpire] First game.
[Ajla] Whatever nerves I was feeling,
they're gone.
This match is mine to play.
[tense electronic music playing]
[commentator 2] So good.
Just terrific play from Ajla Tomljanović.
That's what Serena's fighting.
She's acting like she belongs out there.
That is tremendous stuff.
What composure from Ajla Tomljanović.
Taking the opening set against
one of the all-time greats,
who's playing very well.
[commentator 1] And I think
even more than that,
she's embracing this moment,
whatever it entails.
[Ajla] Wow, I just won the first set
off of Serena.
I could genuinely win this match.
But I don't want my mind to go there.
[umpire] Williams to serve.
- [Serena groans]
- [spectators gasp]
[cheering]
[commentator] What a snappy start
to this second set for Serena Williams.
[umpire]
Thank you. Players are ready now.
Game, Williams.
[loud cheering]
[commentator]
I wish I could describe this noise.
[loud cheering continues]
[Ajla] The crowd goes absolutely nuts,
to the point where I can't
even hear my own thoughts.
[commentator]
Tomljanović playing about 24,000 people.
[Ajla] And I wanna
scream back at everybody.
There's a lot of rage that I'm feeling.
I'm gonna lose my composure.
I'm gonna show everyone my weakness.
[commentator] And a set point.
[cheering]
[Ajla] You just screwed up
and potentially cost yourself the match.
This is the difference between Serena
being Serena and me being me.
[umpire] One set all.
[Ajla] Serena runs away with matches
like this in the third set.
[umpire] New balls.
- Come on, dominate the court.
- Come on, Ajla.
[Ajla] My dad always taught me
since I was a kid,
"Whatever happens,
you be the one that decides
how you win or lose this match."
[tense music playing]
"You can do this, Ajla. Be brave."
[umpire] Game, Tomljanović.
- Well done, Ajla!
- That's it!
[suspenseful music playing]
[Ajla] This is everything
I've ever dreamed of,
playing Serena on a stage like this,
getting her to a point where she feels
like she has to bring out everything.
[commentator] This is not your standard
third-round tennis match.
The quality is exceptional.
No one in Ashe will ever forget the fact
that they got to be here for this.
[umpire] Game, Tomljanović.
Let's go, Ajla. Whoo!
[commentator] Match point.
Tomljanović's reputation in the past
is that she's not a good closer.
Serena knows that reputation, right?
[triumphant music playing]
The greatest match
of Ajla Tomljanović's life
against the greatest of all time.
[Serena] Thank you so much.
You guys were amazing today.
Thank you, Daddy. I know you're watching.
Um
Thanks, Mom.
Oh, my God.
Thank you, everyone.
Ajla, congratulations.
What a special night.
You played unbelievable.
What are you gonna remember the most
about this historic night for you?
I love Serena just as much as you guys do
and this is a surreal moment for me.
[cheering]
She embodies that no dream is too big,
and it doesn't matter where you come from,
you know, the circumstances,
you can do anything if you believe
in yourself, you love what you do,
and you have an incredible support system
and family around you.
I will definitely miss seeing her
on the courts, it will not be the same.
Ajla, congratulations.
Terrific night. Terrific match.
Best of luck in your next one.
Thank you.
[triumphant music continues]
I feel so, I don't know, like, conflicted.
Just never had such a big win,
had to like keep it
I don't know, feels weird.
[laughs] You know what?
Hopefully she really retired,
then you have 1-0 with her.
Positive score. That's my girl.
- Ow.
- What ow?
You know what? Now you put the bar here
But why do I feel so conflicted?
I don't know, I feel
Because you like her so much
and you are sad that you beat her,
but you're too nice.
I'm not too nice.
I wasn't too nice when I played.
No, you played great. Yeah.
But my point is now you've set the bar.
You know what you set the bar for?
- What?
- Enjoying the moment.
Okay, fair enough.
But I told you I will enjoy. Did I say?
[in Croatian] You played so well!
[Ajla] That's probably
the proudest moment in my career.
I just proved to myself
that I belong here.
[announcer] The number one player
in the world, Iga Świątek!
[Courtney] It's the longest win streak
we've seen in a century.
The machine will do everything
in order to be the best; I like that.
Whoa, shiny.
[man] What's it like to be
world number one?
Uh
Everywhere we go, we go to win.
We are not tourists.
[Iga] I have a lot going on, on my mind.
[commentator] Świątek's
getting distracted,
there's a lot of noise
going around between serves.
[cheering]
Świątek is now under pressure.
[commentator 2] Frances Tiafoe
represents the American dream.
I have one crazy story.
[Chris Evert]
It's hard not to root for him.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
[woman] He's going to play Rafa
on Arthur Ashe at the US Open.
[commentator] The biggest night
in the American's career.
You're like, oh, damn. [laughs]