Is Serena Williams' 'business bun' her secret weapon? Tennis ace turned around tense quarter-final match after tying her hair UP (and even her husband thinks that's why she won)
- The 37-year-old, gunning for a 24th grand slam, was playing US rising star Alison Riske in the quarter-final with her dyed blonde hair loose in a ponytail
- After losing the second set and being locked at 3-3, Williams tied her hair up
- Has previously spoken about how the 'business bun' comes out for tough games
- Her husband, Alexis Ohanian Sr, agreed star's hair might have made a difference
Serena Williams' quarter-final match against fellow US opponent Alison Riske was on a knife-edge...until the 23-times grand slam winner calmly pinned up her hair into her now trademark 'business bun'.
The 37-year-old tennis ace had lost the second set against on-form Riske and was locked at 3-3 in the third when she changed her look on court, and promptly changed the game.
According to Twitter - and even Serena's husband Alexis Ohanian Sr - the reason the American was able to up her game was all down to the 'business bun', which frequently appears in the final stages of a tough match.
Williams herself once called it the 'emergency exit bun' for when her game is failing.
Hair's breadth between victory and defeat? When Serena Williams, 37, arrived on court yesterday she wore her dyed blonde locks loose. However, after losing the second set to US tennis rival Alison Riske and tied at 3-3 in the third, the star tied her hair back as she ground out an impressive final three games to win the set
The mother-of-one, who's married to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian Sr, calmly tied her hair back at a key point at three games all in the final set...and spectators said it changed her mindset
Sun's out, bun's out! Serena smiles as she shakes the hand of her US team-mate Alison Riske after making it through to the semi-finals
In the end, Williams booked her semi-final place with three scintillating games in a row, ending the match with a 6-3 final set.
Watching from the players' box, Alexis Ohanian Sr tweeted later about his wife's performance, writing: '#MamaStrength. What an amazing match between two women who went all out today. But the #BusinessBun means business.'
And he wasn't the only spectator to notice that Williams seemed to go up a gear with her wild blonde locks tamed.
@ElliottJMR gushed: 'It has become clear that the Business Bun is liminal, it is performative, it is an act of hair rather than a state of being. We must understand the Business Bun as a transcendence of time and space. It is a verb.'
@mmcf415 wrote: 'I thought the same thing the minute she tucked her hair into that beautiful bun. #BusinessBun alright.'
@C4mi13 penned: 'When the #businessbun went up I knew it was a showdown!'
'Business bun means business': Williams game seemed to improve after she tied back her hair
The 37-year-old star cooled down from her victory with her daughter Alexis Olympia, one, in her arms
The tennis ace gently kissed her toddler daughter's forehead as she wound down from the three-set thriller
@anyalake said she was heading for an up-do after watching the star, who's aiming to break Margaret Court's long-standing record of winning 24 grand slams, prove victorious.
She wrote: 'Incredible!!! Putting my hair up in a bun for new job starting tomorrow in your honour @serenawilliams. Imean business!'
After her victory, Williams cooled down on an exercise bike, holding her daughter Alexis Olympia, one, in her arms.
The star has been wowing the Wimbledon crowds with her double act with British tennis star Andy Murray, who's returning to the sport via doubles after hip surgery.
All hail Murena: Williams, fresh from her quarter-final win over Alison Riske in singles, was the star of the show in the mixed doubles with Andy Murray last night on Centre Court
The pair celebrated after beating Fabrice Martin and Raquel Atawo 7-5, 6-3 on Centre Court
The pair have now decided to officially name their Wimbledon mixed doubles partnership 'Murena', rather than 'Serandy'. They hurtled into the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles in front of a delighted Wimbledon crowd against opponents Fabrice Martin and Raquel Atawo.
Winning 7-5, 6-3 in front of a thrilled Centre Court crowd, they have proved that their super coupling is much more than just a gimmick and are firm contenders for the title, even if they do play top seeds Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar in the next round.
