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Patna : Six time champion Serena Williams, 36, USA, defending champion and World No 3 Sloane Stephens, 25, USA, and World No 18 Anastasija Sevastova, Latvia, entered the quarter-finals of US Open Championship at Flushing Meadows, Newyork, on September 3, 2018.
Serena, who won her first US Open women’s singles title in 1999, defeated World No 44 Kaia Kanepi, Estonia, in a three-set thriller 6-, 4-6, 6-3 in the 4th round to enter the QF of US Open. Kanepi had defeated World No 1 and top seed Simona Halep in the first round. Serena did not find it easy against Kanepi.
Serena fired 18 Aces in the match to just 3 by Kanepi. Serena also committed 4 double faults to 3 by Kanepi. But she also won 5 break points to 2 by Kanepi. Serena won 6 games in a row while Kanepi won 2. Serena, currently ranked World No 26, is aiming for her 24th Grand Slam singles title. She had lost to Angelique Kerber, Germany, in the 2018 Wimbledon final. Serena will play World No 8 Karolina Pliskova, Czech Republic, in the QF on September 4.
Stephens beat World No 15 Elise Mertens, Belgium, 6-3, 6-3 in the 4th round to enter the QF. Stephens won 5 break points in the match to 2 by Mertens.
Sevatstova beat World No 7 Elina Svitolina, Ukraine, in three-sets 6-3, 1-6, 6-0 in the fourth round to enter the QF. Sevastova won 5 break points to 3 by Svitolina. Sevastova served 4 Aces to 2 by Svitolina. Sevastova will play Stephens in the QF on September 4.