Serena leads the sibling rivalry against Venus 15-11, with the current world number one winning their most recent matchup in the round of 16 at Wimbledon in July. PHOTOS: AFP
World number one Serena served well in moving within three match victories of a 2015 sweep of major titles by defeating US 19th seed Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3.
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.
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,” said Venus. “But at the same time, you’re focused on winning your match.”
Bouchard, who suffered a concussion after slipping in the locker room late Friday and hitting her head, pulled out of her match against Italy’s Roberta Vinci.
Vinci advanced by walkover to her third US Open quarter-final in four years, matching her deepest Grand Slam run.
She next faces France’s Kristina Mladenovic, who eliminated 13th-seeded Russian left-hander Ekaterina Makarova, a semi-finalist at last year’s US Open and this year’s Australian Open, by 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-1.
Djokovic enters 26th straight Slam last-eight
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 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.
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.
“Lopez is not the typical Spanish player,” said Djokovic. “He comes into the net on first and second serve. He serves and volleys, uses a lot of slice.”
Lopez, the 18th seed, said Djokovic will hold the cards having won all of the pair’s five meetings.
The Spanish left-hander has only ever taken one set off Djokovic and that was in their first meeting at the 2007 Australian Open.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2015.
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