Serena storms into US Open 4th round
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SO much about that inflamed right shoulder that was supposed to hinder Serena Williams at the US Open as she seeks a record 23rd major title: It sure seems to be just fine.
“Definitely feels solid,” Williams said.
Not sure? There’s plenty of evidence. No need to take her word — or her coach’s — for it.
Look at the way Williams beat 47th-ranked Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows and collect the 307th grand slam match victory of her career, surpassing Martina Navratilova for most by a woman in the Open era and equaling Roger Federer for most by anyone since 1968.
Williams reached 121 mph on a serve. She had a six aces, bringing her total this week to 31. She faced only one break point — her first of the tournament — and saved it. She also smacked seven return winners.
“Tennis-wise, I think it was very satisfying in all aspects. It’s not perfect, of course,” said her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. “But for someone who didn’t play much matches in the last two months, I think she’s competitive.”
Now there’s an understatement. “There is no pain. Maybe she feels a little. I don’t know; I’m not in her shoulder. But I see she plays normal. She serves normal. At practice, she serves the quantity that we usually do, full power,” Mouratoglou said. “So I don’t see any problem. And she doesn’t even talk about it. I know it’s under control now.”
That sounds like bad news for upcoming opponents, starting with 52nd-ranked Yaroslava Shvedova, who advanced to the round of 16 in New York for the first time by beating Zhang Shuai 6-2, 7-5.
Today’s other fourth-round women’s matchups will be Williams’ older sister Venus vs No. 10 Karolina Pliskova, No. 5 Simona Halep vs No. 11 Carla Suarez Navarro, and No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska vs Ana Konjuh. Venus Williams advanced comfortably on Saturday by beating No. 26 Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-2. In that half of the draw, only the players with the last name Williams have won a grand slam title; the sisters could meet in the semifinals a year after Serena ousted Venus in the quarters.
Two past men’s champions, Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro, moved into the fourth round.
Murray, who won the 2012 US Open, had trouble in each of the first two sets, but eventually became more patient during baseline exchanges and took control for a 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Paolo Lorenzi. Murray joins Kyle Edmund — who won on Friday to set up a match against No. 1 Novak Djokovic — to give Britain two men in the round of 16 at the American grand slam tournament for the first time since 1966, when it was known as the US Championships.
A third Briton, Dan Evans, came within a point of also making the fourth round but failed to complete what would have been a significant upset, fading in a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (8), 2-6 loss to No. 3 Stan Wawrinka. Evans held a match point at 6-5 in the fourth-set tiebreaker.
Wawrinka next faces 63rd-ranked Illya Marchenko, who advanced when No. 14 Nick Kyrgios quit because of injury while trailing two sets to one.
Del Potro’s resurgence continued with a 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-3 win over No. 11 David Ferrer.
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