AMERICAN superstar Serena Williams’ pursuit for a 24th Grand Slam title remains on track after coming from a set down to defeat 26th seed Sloane Stephens 2-6 6-2 6-2. It was their first match against each other since 2015, but Williams had won five of six encounters between them leading into this contest. Stephens did not let this affect her confidence, as she played some very clean tennis early to break twice and take the opening set. Despite being a set down, Williams never looked worried and immediately responded by cleaning up her play and giving Stephens just one more break point opportunity for the rest of the match. Williams won 78 per cent of points on her first serve and sent down 12 aces to Stephens’ zero for the match. The result sets up a Round 4 clash between Williams and 15th seed Maria Sakkari, who comfortably defeated American Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-1.

Reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin joined fellow Americans Williams, Jennifer Brady and Shelby Rogers in the round of 16 with a 7-6 6-3 victory over Tunisian Ons Jabeur. Kenin dropped an early service break and trailed 4-2, but Jabeur could not consolidate and served a poorly-timed double fault to bring the match back on serve. After taking the first in a tie-break, Kenin proved too difficult to stop in the second set, breaking Jabeur’s serve twice en route to a nice victory. She will face Belgian 16th seed Elise Mertens in the fourth round, who was too good for American youngster Cate McNally on Saturday. Mertens hit 22 winners in a 7-5 6-1 victory.

Elsewhere, two-time US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka progressed to the fourth round with a 6-4 6-2 victory over Poland’s Iga Swiatek. This is the first time since 2015 that Azarenka has reached the second week at Flushing Meadows. She came from 2-0 down and piled on 25 winners in the dominant victory. Azarenka has lost just 13 games across her three matches so far this tournament, which includes a major upset victory over 5th seed Aryna Sabalenka. Her next match will be against 20th seed Karolina Muchova, who had a tight 6-3 2-6 7-6 (9-7) win over Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.

France’s Alize Cornet also advanced to the fourth round after her opponent, Madison Keys was forced to retire hurt in the second set. There were no breaks of serve in the first set, so Cornet was able to take it out in a tie-break. Keys had a medical timeout at this point to get some treatment for her neck injury, then in the first game of the second set she had four break points. All four chances went begging however, and she was forced to retire hurt four games later. The match ended at 7-6 3-2, and Cornet was sympathetic for Keys afterwards.

“She’s not the kind of girl that retires easily, so I guess she must be in real pain, and I’m sorry for her,” she said. 

This is Cornet’s first ever trip to Round 4 of the US Open, and she has now reached the round of 16 at all four Grand Slams throughout her career. She has never made a Grand Slam quarterfinal though, but she has a great chance to get there on Monday. Her next match will be against Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova, who is playing her first professional tournament since Wimbledon 2017 and stunningly upset 18th seed Donna Vekic 6-4 6-1.