We still love you, Serena Williams

The popular storyline at the US Open will be that Serena Williams failed to close out a calendar Grand Slam for the first time in her career. She’s by far the best player in the world, she won her first set against unranked veteran Roberta Vinci, she had the entire crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium behind her, and then she fell apart.

That’s garbage, for so many reasons.

1.

Her loss to Vinci in the semifinals was her third loss of the entire season, one where she’s won five tournaments, including three Grand Slams. By winning the French Open, she became the second player ever, after Steffi Graf, to hold all four majors at the same time twice. The gap between her and a slew of excellent players constantly fighting to be the second best in the world, is vast.

2.

Serena has 21 majors and a gold medal. Steffi Graf is the only other player to complete a career Golden Slam, and Serena will almost certainly pass her record for most majors won in a singles career, with 22. Serena is the only player to complete a career Golden Slam in women’s doubles and singles, and has 36 career majors in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. She’s held all four major titles at once in doubles too. She will retire as the most accomplished tennis player of all time. Her greatness is unquestionable.

3.

Roberta Vinci played her ass off. She had half as many unforced errors as Serena. Every time Serena hit a great, but not perfect, shot that would beat most players, Vinci found a way to get it back into play. She made sure that Serena could only win points if she was perfect. Plus, Vinci did this.

4.

Her match against her sister, Venus, in the quarterfinals was one of the best events on the sports calendar this year, period. The competitiveness of the match, the crowd at Ashe and the fact that we got to see one of the best sports rivalries ever, one last time, almost made up for her semifinal loss. And if she was emotionally drained after ending what might have been her sister’s last big chance at winning a major, we can hardly blame her.

5.

Serena Williams, lest you forget, is the realest of all time. From laying truth on reporters asking her to smile to the Crip Walk to that Memphis Bleek video to her love for her sister, to the fact that she has Drake eating out of the palm of her hand, there’s nothing not to love about her. She’s not just the most accomplished athletes of all time, but one of the easiest to like, too.

She had a great US Open, a better season, and she’s going to win more majors. She didn’t choke, and she’s still the GOAT.

SB Nation presents: Serena Williams may have lost, but she’s still the best