But Saturday’s victory was informed with added meaning as it marked her 307th career victory in grand slam play, lifting her past Martina Navratilova for the most by a female player in the Open era – and moved her level with Roger Federer for most among men or women.
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Serena Williams Reached Landmark Women’s Record Of 307:- The world No. 1 seeded Serena Williams has achieved another milestone when she registered a win against the Johanna Larsson by 6-2, 6-1 in the last match.
Larsson, who equaled her career-best finish at the U.S. Open by virtue of defeating Denisa Allertova in the second round, proved just why she is now in the midst of a career-best season, getting on the scoreboard a game later, much to the delight of a very appreciative crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I think I was playing good tennis from the beginning”, she said.
Men’s eighth seed Dominic Thiem of Austria also enjoyed a birthday win, downing Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on the day he turned 23.
Shvedova is best known for the first “golden set” in the Open era, which began in 1968: She won all 24 points of the first set of a victory over Sara Errani at Wimbledon in 2012, one match before a three-set loss to Williams there.
It definitely feels solid, she said. “I did everything I could today and I’m really happy I could finish the match in my way”.
“Tennis-wise I think it was very satisfying in all aspects”, said her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.
The six-time US Open champion, whose number one ranking is under threat, next faces Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova, a 6-2, 7-5 victor over China’s Zhang Shuai.
Venus Williams moved within two wins of a possible sisterly showdown with Serena in the semi-finals of the U.S. Open by beating German 26th seed Laura Siegemund to reach the fourth round on Saturday.
The 34-year-old has looked good so far in this year’s Open.
Williams is now 3-0 all-time against Larsson and has yet to drop a set at this year’s final Grand Slam.
The top seed next faces Britain’s world number 84 Kyle Edmund who stunned John Isner of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) to make a Slam fourth round for the first time.
As she vies for a place in the round of 16, Williams said her troublesome right shoulder remains a concern, requiring “tons of treatment, tons of rehab, tons of ice”.
“It was a really good feeling, I have to say”, Williams said.
“Tennis players were really fortunate to have pioneers like Billie Jean King and really take a stance for women in tennis”, Williams said.
The Olympic Games silver medalist, who won the Flushing Meadows Grand Slam in 2009, continued his fine comeback from a series of wrist injuries with a 7-6 6-2 6-3 win over the Spaniard.
Halep advanced to the round of 16 but had to rally from 3-1 down in the third set to get past 31st-seeded Timea Babos of Hungaria 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.
Given the polar-opposite resumes that Williams and Larsson carried into Saturday’s afternoon session in Queens, New York, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Serena made light work of her Swedish opponent.
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Halep, whose best Grand Slam result was a run to the French Open final in 2014, next takes on 11th-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro for a spot in the quarterfinals.
