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Williams sisters on collision course at US Open

The world number one’s 6-2 6-1 US Open third-round win over Johanna Larsson of Sweden also ensured the American equalled Roger Federer’s record total.

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Williams won her 307th match in Grand Slam competition, a record she had shared with Martina Navratilova, in her matinee at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Of her outfit, Williams, 34, said, “I can say it definitely feels like a Wonder Woman or Superwoman”.

Williams will go for win number 308 on Tuesday (AEST) when she meets Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova – a 6-2, 7-5 victor over China’s Zhang Shuai – in round four.

In the one hour it took to subdue Larsson, Williams appeared untroubled by the shoulder injury that has slowed her since her Wimbledon triumph.

She defeated the tennis star 6-2 6-1 at Flushing Meadows, N.Y. – where she won her first Grand Slam title in 1999.

“I feel like I have been doing pretty good”, said Williams.

Karolina Pliskova, the Czech 10th seed, beat 17th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russian Federation 6-2, 6-4, 11th seed Carla Suarez Navarro moved through with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Russia’s Elena Vesnina (19) and Croatia’s Ana Konjuh won a battle of the unseeded players, beating American Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Roberta Vinci of Italy reacts against Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine during their match at the 2016 US Open in New York Sunday.

The sixth seed, who is now 11-1 against Frenchman this year, lost the first set on the back of a lone break, but then proceeded to win 18 of the next 23 games to ease to victory.

A third British man, 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 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (8), 6-2 loss to No. 3 Stan Wawrinka.

“Every match is a little different”, Venus said.

The 31-year-old third seed saved the match-point at 5-6 in the fourth set tie-break, breaking the will of his 64th-ranked opponent.

Despite an error-strewn performance, Andy Murray downed Paolo Lorenzi 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 to book a fourth-round meeting with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov.

Asked if there is a particular kind of shot that gave her the most satisfaction during a match, Serena replied, ‘Well, I think there’s no shot for me that’s more exciting than hitting an ace.

“I think what I liked most here was that feeling of the crowd at the end”, said Venus on court afterward, to the roar of the partisan fans.

“From the other side, sure, as you are approaching (the) second week of the Grand Slams”, he continued, “you want to have match play and you want to have time spent on the centre court before you face one of the top players”.

Anastasija Sevastova sprang the first surprise of the second week at the Flushing Meadows, taking out the 13th seeded Johanna Konta, beating her 6-4, 7-5.

The only time Serena hasn’t advanced to the fourth round here at the US Open came in 1998, her first, at the age of 16.

Wawrinka, a two-time Grand Slam victor and twice a semifinalist in NY, had the closest call, saving a match point in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (10/8), 6-2 victory over Britain’s Dan Evans.

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Illya Marchenko of the Ukraine awaits in the fourth round for the Swiss.

Serena Williams powered past Johanna Larsson to make the last 16 at the US Open and set more records