Serena Williams continues to stay on course for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title after battling from a set down to see off Sloane Stephens 2-6 6-2 6-2 in the third round of the US Open.
Since winning the 2017 Australian Open, Williams has been stuck on 23 titles but she showed considerable fortitude to grapple with her nerves and turn the third-round match on its head.
Her quest to equal Margaret Court’s record is still alive with that victory, but it sets her up with a super clash with Maria Sakkari in the fourth round.
Sakkari won the bout between the duo last week at the Western & Southern Open despite the 23-time Grand Slam winner having the chance to serve for the match.
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, looked comfortable and composed early on during the match. Williams’ nerves on the other hand manifested themselves in the form of unforced errors and missed first serves.
She looked as if she would prevail over Serena for the first time in seven years as she continue to move her all over the court.
Williams, clearly unhappy with the level of tennis she was playing, raised her intensity in the second set.
She was boosted by the fact that her first serve percentage increase drastically to 76 percent, and started to be the aggressor in the longer rallies.
After securing the set 6-2, Williams charged to victory as she maintained her hold on her opponent and raced to a 4-1 lead in the decider. She maintained the record of winning 14 of 18 deciding sets at the US Open.
Williams will face Maria Sakkari in the fourth-round.
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Sakkari however, needed just 55 minutes to beat Amanda Anisimova earlier in the day inside the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
She made just eight unforced errors during the 6-3 6-1 encounter, while Anisimova notched up 28 unforced errors and just four winners.
Sakkari is the first Greek woman in the second week at the US Open for 16 years, Eleni Daniilidou was the last back in 2004.
Fourth Round
Top Half
Jennifer Brady (USA) (28) vs Angelique Kerber (Ger) (17)
Yulia Putintseva (Kaz) (23) vs Petra Martic (Cro) (8)
Naomi Osaka (Jpn) (4) vs Anett Kontaveit (Est) (14)
Shelby Rogers (USA) vs Petra Kvitova (Cze) (6)
Third Round Results
Top Half
Jennifer Brady (USA) (28) bt Caroline Garcia (Fra) 6-3 6-3
Angelique Kerber (Ger) (17) bt Ann Li (USA) 6-3 6-4
Yulia Putintseva (Kaz) (23) bt Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Blr) 3-6 6-2 6-1
Petra Martic (Cro) (8) bt Varvara Gracheva (Rus) 6-3 6-3
Naomi Osaka (Jpn) (4) bt Marta Kostyuk (Ukr) 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 6-2
Anett Kontaveit (Est) (14) bt Magda Linette (Pol) (24) 6-3 6-2
Shelby Rogers (USA) bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-2 6-4
Petra Kvitova (Cze) (6) bt Jessica Pegula (USA) 6-4 6-3
Bottom Half
Madison Keys (USA) (7) vs Alize Cornet (Fra)
Tsvetana Pironkova (Bul) bt Donna Vekic (Cro) (18) 6-4 6-1
Maria Sakkari (Gre) (15) bt Amanda Anisimova (USA) (22) 6-3 6-1
Serena Williams (USA) (3) bt Sloane Stephens (USA) (26) 2-6 6-2 6-2
Victoria Azarenka (Blr) vs Iga Swiatek (Pol)
Karolina Muchova (Cze) (20) bt Sorana Cirstea (Rom) 6-3 2-6 7-6 (9-7)
Elise Mertens (Bel) (16) bt Catherine McNally (USA) 7-5 6-1
Ons Jabeur (Tun) (27) vs Leylah Annie Fernandez (Can)
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