Serena Williams remains on course to clinch a record equalling 24th Grand Slam title at the US Open after overcoming some patchy play against Sloane Stephens on Saturday.
The third seed rallied from behind to prevail 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, at the Arthur Ashe stadium to record her fifth win over the world No.39 in six meetings. Although the latest encounter was by no means a walk in the park for Williams who looked tentative and unsettled early on before shaking off the rust. Ending the match with 29 winners to 23 unforced errors, as well as 12 aces.
“It was intense, I have to say. I mean, we always have some incredible matches and it brings out the best of my fitness when I play Sloane,” Williams said during her on-court interview.
“She’s obviously a great player and she’s won on this court.”
Stephens, who had only won three matches in seven tournaments prior to the US Open, started the most composed and dominant from the onset. The 2017 champion broke the Williams serve just three games into the match after the 23-time Grand Slam winner faltered in her shot-making. Later on in the opening set Stephens clinched the double break with the help of two Williams mistakes from both her forehand and backhand sides. Giving Stephens enough of a margin to clinch the first set in just under 40 minutes.
Facing the prospect of suffering her earliest exit in New York since 1998, Williams hit back with interest as Stephens began to show fragility on the court for the first time. Relying on her intensity and heavy-hitting, the 39-year-old began to force her rival to make more mistakes. One of which was a lose shot that landed in the tramlines and gifted Williams for her first break for 4-2 in the second frame as she drew level with relative ease.
Since her tournament debut, the world No.8 has only lost in the third set on four previous occasions with the most recent being to Roberta Vinci in 2015. Ensuring that history wouldn’t repeat itself, she continued to wear down an increasingly sluggish Stephens by breaking for a 3-1 lead in the decider. Racing towards the finish line Williams triumphed on her first match point with the help of a Stephens shot landing beyond the baseline.
“In the first set I don’t think she made any errors. I just said (to myself) that I don’t want to lose in straight sets,” Williams commented on her comeback.
“The next thing I know I won the second set and I was like ‘ok great.’”
“Staying in it (the match) and playing an opponent who played so well and not letting that get me down. That was really impressive for me,” she later added.
Williams will play Maria Sakkari in the fourth round on Monday. The Greek booked her place in the last 16 for the first time in her career by disposing of Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-1.
“Serena is Serena. You have to come up with some great tennis. Otherwise, there is no chance against her,” Sakkari commented in her press conference.
“You never know what you’re going to get with Serena because she can come up with some amazing game and amazing shots.”
The upcoming encounter will also be a chance for Williams to get her revenge after losing to Sakkari at the Western and Southern Open earlier this month which was held at the same venue as the New York major.
