Serena, Stephens reach quarter-finals

Serena Williams of the US celebrates after defeating Kaia Kanepi of Estonia in a fourth round match on day seven of the 2018 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Still seeking her first Grand Slam title since motherhood, she fought her way to a taxing 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 fourth-round win over Kanepi and into Tuesday’s quarterfinals. In the 18-minute shutout of the first set, Kanepi’s strokes were off and Williams’ were pretty much flawless as she grabbed 24 of 30 points.

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“I think it’s the best match she’s ever played against me”, Venus said.

Williams finished with a tally of 47 winners, including 18 aces.

Kanepi, who had never previously taken a set off her opponent, was simply steam-rollered but she dug in with a break of the Williams serve at the start of the second set and settled into the match.

“I won, because I believed I have a chance”.

Ahead of another meeting with the Czech, Williams said she expected a different encounter.

Anderson’s run to last year’s final was a surprise, as at No. 32 he was the lowest-ranked U.S. Open finalist in the history of the ATP rankings.

Next up for Stephens, who at No. 3 is the highest seed left in the women’s draw, is a repeat of last year’s quarterfinal against Anastasija Sevastova. But after squandering a 2-1 lead in sets, the 11th seed dominated the fifth set to beat 25th-seeded Milos Raonic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

“Right now it’s not time yet because I’m thinking about playing tennis and enjoying this time with Olympia”. “Quarter-finals of a Grand Slam is always really tough”.

Kevin Anderson won’t get a second shot at Rafael Nadal in the U.S. Open. I’m only in my third one back.

“I have obviously thought of having more kids, and it will happen, God willing, in time”, said Williams., adding,”I think everything is going to happen in time”.

23 – Number of years since the only other time in the professional era that a Japanese woman and man have both reached the quarterfinals at the same Grand Slam tournament; Osaka and Nishikori equaled the feat accomplished by Kimiko Date and Shuzo Matsuoka at Wimbledon in 1995.

“I made one or two crucial errors, and that cost me the second set, or at least cost me the first game”, Williams said. “It will be an interesting match”. “I have watched her a great deal since then”. I have a good serve. So I have some weapons, too.

Still, Serena hasn’t won the US Open since 2014, losing in the semifinals in 2015 and ’16.