New York: Six-time champion Serena Williams survived a spirited challenge from unseeded Kaia Kanepi to triumph 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 here Sunday and reach the quarterfinals of the US Open.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion looked set to romp home when she seized the first set from Kanepi in just 18 minutes. But the hard-hitting Estonian, who took out World No.1 Simona Halep in the first round, settled down in the second set, shaking off the partisan crowd in a jammed Arthur Ashe Stadium to push Serena the rest of the way.
“It wasn’t an easy match at all,” said Williams, who let out what she called a ‘Serena scream’ after ripping a backhand cross-court to hold serve in the opening game of the third set.
She then took control with a break in the next game and maintained that advantage until she fired a forehand winner on her first match point.
Serena finished with 18 aces and 47 winners. A couple of loose points gifted Kanepi a break in the first game of the second set, however, and she couldn’t get back on terms.
Serena will next meet Karolina Pliskova, the eighth-seeded Czech who beat Australian Ashleigh Barty 6-4, 6-4. Pliskova had defeated Serena here in the semifinals in 2016.
Defending champion Stephens, the third seed, eased past Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-3 to book a quarterfinal rematch with Latvian Anastasija Sevastova who toppled seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-3, 1-6, 6-0, leaving just two of the top 10 women’s seeds remaining.
Stephens said she was looking forward to taking on Sevastova again in her bid to push ahead in her title defense.
“Obviously it won’t be easy,” Stephens said. “Quarterfinals of a Grand Slam is always really tough, a big opportunity for both of us. Being defending champion, being able to get to the quarterfinals again, is incredible.”