5 things that we learned from the 2016 US Open

4. Age is catching up with Serena but she is still a force

A Wimbledon title, final appearances at two Slams and a semi-final at another – this would have been a dream performance for any other player. But by Serena Williams’ lofty standards, it is disappointing.

That shows once more how good the 22-time Grand Slam champion is.

The American, who is set to turn 35 this month, was hobbled by a knee injury which clearly hampered her movement during her semi-final against eventual runner-up Karolina Pliskova. And she started the tournament after recovering from an inflamed shoulder. Serena’s body has let her down multiple times this season which restricted her participation to just eight tournaments so far.

Going forward, it might be even tougher to maintain fitness for a full season considering her age. But, by no means, that indicates that the legend is a spent force. If anything, her quarter-final against a fired-up Simona Halep would be enough evidence to show how much she still wants it.

There is still no dearth to her willpower and desire. She might have lost her No. 1 ranking after an Open Era-record equalling reign of 186 consecutive weeks but if she manages to remain injury-free, she is still the biggest favourite to win any tournament.