Serena and Venus Williams advanced to a dramatic US Open quarter-final showdown with straight-set triumphs.
World number one Serena Williams served well in moving within three match victories of a rare calendar Grand Slam with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over US 19th seed Madison Keys last night.
Serena made only six unforced errors to 19 for Keys and hit 58 percent of her first serves. She took 79 percent of those points and 70 percent on her second serves, nearly twice Keys’ second-try effectiveness.
“I’m so proud. I’m so glad it’s so much better,” Serena said of her serve.
“My only chance was to start out fast. I just stayed in there and was able to relax.”
Venus, seeded 23rd, downed 152nd-ranked Estonian teen qualifier Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, matching her deepest Grand Slam run since reaching the 2010 US Open semi-finals.
“We’re both prepared,” Venus said. “Even though you’re playing your sister you have to be prepared and focus. The preparation doesn’t change.”
Serena, who holds all four major tennis titles, is trying to complete the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 and match Graf’s Open Era record of 22 career Slam singles titles by capturing her Open Era record seventh US Open crown.
But Venus, two years older than Serena at 35, could play the spoiler as she tries to add to a trophy collection that includes the 2000 and 2001 US Opens and five Wimbledon titles, the most recent in 2008.
“I don’t think anyone wants to be a spoiler. I think people love to see history being made,” Venus said. “But at the same time, you’re focused on winning your match even though the circumstances are really much different than you.”
Kristina Mladenovic, who had never been past the third round at a major, is into the quarterfinals at the US Open.
The 40th-ranked Frenchwoman beat Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-1 in a match that didn’t end until past midnight Monday morning. The 13th-seeded Makarova made the semifinals at Flushing Meadows a year ago, but Mladenovic, 22, was the more poised player in this one, twice rallying from down a break in the first set. She won with style too, pulling off a between-the-legs shot on the way to taking a point during the second set.
Mladenovic next faces 43rd-ranked Roberta Vinci, who advanced without playing a point when 25th-seeded Eugene Bouchard withdrew from their fourth-round match Sunday after sustaining a concussion when she slipped and fell in the locker room on Friday.
Serena leads the Williams sibling rivalry 15-11 but they have split four US Open meetings, including the 2001 and 2002 finals. Serena won their most recent matchup in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July.
“Awesome. It has been awesome,” Venus said when asked about her sibling rivalry. “I’m so proud of Serena and I think she’s proud of me. We inspire each other.”
Serena won her first set in 27 minutes, Keys handing her the lone break in the sixth game. Serena hit a backhand winner to break Keys for a 4-3 edge in the second set and broke again on match point when Keys, who also lost to Serena in the Australian Open semi-finals, double faulted to end matters after 68 minutes and ensure an all-Williams showdown.
“She is playing great,” Serena said of Venus. “I have to play like I did today or better. But at least one of us, a Williams, will be in the semis, so that’s good.” Venus broke in the fourth game and and again in the eighth game, Kontaveit hitting a forehand long to drop the set after 24 minutes.
Williams held twice more, denying the European’s lone break point in the final game to win in 50 minutes.
Kontaveit, 19, was thwarted in her bid to match the best US Open qualifier showing, American Barbara Gerken’s quarter-final run in 1981.
Djokovic cruises
World number one Novak Djokovic reached his 26th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final but only after surviving a US Open scare against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. The 2011 champion won 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Monday night to set-up a clash against Spanish veteran Feliciano lopez in what will also be his ninth US Open last-eight place in a row.
Djokovic gave up a 4-2 lead in the second set and saw an early break clawed back in the fourth by the 23rd seeded Agut.
The Serb was also broken when serving for the match at 5-2 as Agut unleashed a barrage of deep, murderous forehands before steadying himself to claim his 60th win of the year.
Meanwhile, Feliciano lopez, 33, reached his first US Open quarter-final at the 14th attempt with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 win over Italy’s Fabio Fognini, the conqueror of Rafael Nadal in the previous round.
Azarenka tops lepchenko
Victoria Azarenka has reached the US Open quarterfinals for the fourth straight year. The two-time Australian Open champion beat 46th-ranked American Varvara lepchenko 6-3, 6-4 on Monday.
Azarenka introduced a new fashion statement to Arthur Ashe Stadium: gauze wrapped around both biceps. She joked in an on-court interview that after throwing around a football Sunday — she does it for fun and to help with her service motion — she wanted to look tough like an NFl player.
Azarenka, who lost to Serena Williams in three sets in the US Open final in 2012 and ‘13, is seeded just 20th after an injury-plagued season. But now she’s into her second straight major quarterfinal, where she will face Simona Halep or Sabine lisicki.