Serena Williams survived a third-round scare at the US Open to topple 2017 champion Sloane Stephens 2-6 6-2 6-2 and keep alive her bid for a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam title.
A sure-footed Stephens pounced early as third seed Williams struggled with her first serve and committed 13 unforced errors in the first set, claiming an early break for a 2-1 lead.
The 26th seed kept Williams on the run as she saved two break points, with the 38-year-old struggling to find her rhythm.
But the momentum dramatically shifted in Williams' favour in the second set. She opened up a 4-2 lead as she cleaned up her game and kept psyching herself up in the absence of the legions of fans who regularly flock to Flushing Meadows.
The stands sat empty this year due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
"It was intense, I have to say," says Williams. "It always brings out the best in my fitness when I play Sloane."
Seventh seed Madison Keys retired from her third-round clash with France's Alize Cornet early in the second set with a neck injury.
Keys was trailing 7-6(4) 3-2 when she shook her head and told the Frenchwoman and the umpire she could not continue.
The 25-year-old American, a 2017 finalist at Flushing Meadows, had a medical timeout between sets and called for assistance again during the second, where the trainer massaged her neck and shoulder.
Keys struggled to raise her arms above her shoulder during the second set and grimaced every time she hit the ball, calling it quits after Cornet held serve to take a 3-2 lead.
Greek 15th seed Maria Sakkari was at her phenomenal best when she beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-3 6-1 in a match that lasted less than an hour at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Sakkari fired four aces and 11 winners past the 22nd seed, breaking her five times while Anisimova also made 28 unforced errors.
Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova, playing her first tournament in three years, continued her dream run by beating Croatian Donna Vekic 6-4 6-1 in 64 minutes to move into the last-16.
Reuters
