Simona Halep also progressed, overcoming Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 7-5.
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Serena, with her win in the third round, had crossed Martina Navratilova and equalled Roger Federer’s mark of all-time victories in Grand Slams at 307. She’s only faced one break point in those four matches, and Monday served 11 aces en route to victory.
Top-seeded Serena Williams cruised into the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open on Monday, establishing another record in the process, but her sister, Venus Williams, was eliminated in NY.
“I just think with everyone I play, they play a step up and above their ranking”, she said. “I think it’s something that, you know, just really talks about the length of my career, in particular”. “I don’t have to be afraid or to have emotions because I have nothing to lose”, Halep said.
“To be honest”, Pliskova said, “it was really hard. when I lost my serve”.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Ana Konjuh notched the biggest win of her career under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium, taking out World No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets to reach her first ever Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open, 6-4, 6-4.
“I live in the present so I move on”, Venus said. She had not lost more than three games in any of the eight sets she has played in the event and has yet to lose a service game in the tournament.
“I think when you really enjoy what you do, it’s different”.
Her sister, Venus, however went out in dramatic fashion, losing 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) to Czech 10th seed Karolina Pliskova.
“It was very hard when I lost my serve at 6-5”, said the 24-year-old Pliskova, who finally put away Venus on her fifth match point.
“I remembered Wimbledon, I had two match points there [against Radwanska]”, said Konjuh.
Number 23 could come this weekend with a seventh US Open title – which would carry her past the record she shares with Chris Evert.
Andy Murray put out a statement with a demolition job of Grigor Dimitrov, while Serena Williams continued to break records on another day of exciting action at the US Open 2016.
“It’s never good to win a match this way”, del Potro told the crowd.
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The 92-ranked Konjuh compiled a 38-9 edge in winners and dropped Radwanska to 0-5 in fourth-round matches at the Open. A year ago, she was stunned in the semifinals by Roberta Vinci, ending the American’s bid to become the first player since Graf in 1988 with a calendar-year Grand Slam.
