The 23-time grand slam champion, Serena Williams stormed into the third round of the US Open on Thursday. Serena knocked out the second seed Anett Kontaveit in a three-set contest 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-2.
Williams, who is now 40 and holds the current ranking of No. 605, upset Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit, the No. 2 seed, in a see-saw encounter, to advance to the third round of the US Open. This win keeps her pursuit of Margaret Court and the record 24 major victories alive. The exuberant crowd, which included several WTA and ATP Tour competitors along with celebrities hoping to get (at least) one final look at the all-time great, supported the home-Slam favourite fervently.
Playing the 1,013th match of her stellar career Williams was in vintage form and did not disappoint the tennis fans as she won the first set 7-6(4) in a nail-biting finish.
The number two stepped onto the court in the second set with the change of plans and was able to take the second set 2-6.
In her post-match interview, the American said that she has not played tennis this freely, ever since she made her debut in 1999. She said that she loves rising to the occasion and there is still a little left in her.
The tennis legend said, “There’s still a little left in me,” said Williams. “This is what I do best. I love rising to a challenge. After I lost the second set, I said, ‘Oh, my goodness, this could be it.’ I just wanted to keep trying and just do my best.”
In another match, Defending Champion Daniil Medvedev advanced into the third round of the U.S. Open defeating Arthur Rinderknech of France in straight sets.
Medvedev defeated Rinderknech 6-2, 7-5, 6-3. Meanwhile, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios extended his incredible run with a four-set victory over France’s Benjamin Bonzi. Kyrgios defeated Bonzi 7-6 (3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Medvedev, the top seed was in command from the beginning. number one breezed past Rinderknech, who reached his first ATP final earlier this year in Adelaide and broke into the Top 50.