Five questions with Serena foil Roberta Vinci before the US Open

— -- Then-ranked No. 42, Roberta Vinci stunned the world when she upset Serena Williams in the semifinals of the 2015 US Open and ended Williams' quest for the elusive calendar Grand Slam. Vinci lost to fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta in the final, but she proved herself to be a top singles player during her time in Flushing Meadows.

Now the No. 7 seed, the 33-year-old enters the 2016 tournament with her eyes set on winning her first Grand Slam singles title (she has five doubles titles) and showing her magical 2015 run was no fluke. She opens play against Anna-Lena Friedsam and wouldn't see Serena before the final.

We caught up with Vinci this week at the Connecticut Open in her final tune-up before the Open.

espnW: You had such an amazing run last year at the US Open. How does that change how you go into the tournament this year?