Serena stays on course for calendar Grand Slam
AFP
AFP, NEW YORK: World number one Serena Williams stayed on course for the first calendar Grand Slam since 1988, advancing to the US Open semi-finals Tuesday by defeating older sister Venus Williams 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. Three-time defending champion Serena reached a Thursday semi-final against Italys 43rd-ranked Roberta Vinci, who eliminated Frances 40th-ranked Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Serena, who holds all four major trophies, moved two wins from completing the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf 27 years ago and matching Grafs career Open Era record of 22 singles titles, two shy of Australian Margaret Courts all-time mark. Playing at a high level throughout, the sisters staged a classic at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which was jam-packed with 23,771 fans, including such celebrities as US Presidential hopeful Donald Trump and TV mogul Oprah Winfrey.
Serena fired 35 winners with 22 unforced errors and 12 aces, the last coming on match point. Venus had 24 winners, 15 unforced errors and eight aces. Three-time defending champion Serena, the younger sister by two years at 33, improved to 53-2 on the season and took a 16-11 edge in the sibling rivalry, including an 9-5 advantage in Grand Slam meetings and a 3-2 lead in US Open results.
Serena, seeking an Open Era record seventh US Open crown overall, is on a 33-match Grand Slam win streak and a 26-match US Open win streak, her last loss on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts coming to Samantha Stosur in the 2011 final. Venus, on her deepest US Open run in five years, was seen as one of the big threats to spoil Serenas historic run.
