As Serena Williams blew through the U.S. Open quarterfinals in less than an hour, one of her biggest fans – Priyanka Chopra – nearly lost her mind while cheering on the tennis icon.
Priyanka Chopra’s reaction to Serena Williams’ epic win over Qiang Wang on Sept. 3 was everything. Priyanka, 37, was in the stands of NYC’s Arthur Ashe Stadium when Serena blew by Qiang, 27, in two straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. The match lasted just 44 minutes, which is a blink of the eye in tennis terms. Her match with heated rival Maria Sharapova took longer, and that was over in under an hour! However, 44 minutes was enough time for Priyanka to steal the show with her cheering. Nick Jonas’s better half went wild while screaming for Serena, her eyes wide with amazement at watching the “Greatest of All Time” in action. Priyanka, along with her mother, Madu Chopra, looked as they were having the time of their lives as Serena secured her place in the U.S. Open semi-finals.
Serena and Priyanka have reportedly been close friends for years, according to the Daily Mail, and both attended the wedding of mutual friend Meghan Markle in 2018. Serena probably appreciated having such a close friend witness not only her speedy victory but what also turned out to be her 100th victory. “I never thought I would get to 100 wins and still be here, but I love what I do,” Serena said after the match, per The Guardian. When asked about her ankle, which she twisted during her fourth-round win over Petra Martic on Sept. 1, Serena said she was “feeling good.”
“It’s been a tough year, but physically I’m feeling great and more than anything I’m just having fun when I come out here,” she added. She goes on to face fifth-seed Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals. She’s now two victories away from a potential 24th major title, which would tie Margaret Court for most Gram Slam wins.
“It feels good,” Serena said of being in that kind of zone, according to ESPN. “It feels like, ‘OK, this is what I’ve been training for. This is how hard I’ve been working.’ It feels like, you know, hard work pays off when that happens.” Serena finished the match with 25 winners versus zero for Wang, who was playing in her first major quarterfinal. “I’ve been working on my speed, getting shots,” Serena said. “I didn’t give her too many chances in the match. … That’s a good stat for me. It’s good because I want to be able to move around the court. I move when I want to move. I guess I wanted to move tonight.”
Serena faces Elina Svitolina on Sept. 5. Chances are, Priyanka will be there to watch that match, too.