Sports

Serena, Venus to meet for 30th time at US Open

Published

6 years ago

August 30, 2018

Serena and Venus Williams will clash for the 30 th time on Friday with a place in the last 16 of the US Open at stake .Six -time champion Serena eased into the third round encounter with a 6 – 2 , 6 – 2 win over German world number 101 Carina Witthoeft on the back of 30 winners and 13 aces .
Venus , the 2000 and 2001 champion in New York , made the third round for the 17 th time with a 6 – 4 , 7 – 5 victory over Camila Giorgi of Italy .

Friday’ s match will be the earliest the sisters have met at a Slam since the 1998 Australian Open in what was also their first ever clash . It will be their sixth in New York .

Venus won their second round clash in Australia in 1998 but Serena , bidding for a record – equalling 24 th Grand Slam title , has built up an advantage over the last two decades , enjoying a 17 – 12 head – to -head superiority .

“ Friday will be incredibly hard , ” said Serena before she jokingly hit back at Venus ’ s claim that when they last met at a Slam in the final of the 2017 Australian Open her sister had an advantage as it was “ two against one . ”

That was a reference to Serena being in the early stages of pregnancy with her daughter Olympia .

“ I guess I had a little advantage but it ’ s going to be hard for me on Friday , ” said 36 -year – old Serena .
“ It ’ s a tough match to have so early in the tournament . We would have liked to have played later but it is what it is . It’ s not the end of the world .

“ As always we will come out and try our best . So cheer for me , cheer for Venus . Whatever, it will work . ”

( AFP )