It’s a date: Serena, Venus to meet for 30th time at US Open

Serena Williams. — Photo euronews.com

Tennis

NEW YORK — Serena and Venus Williams will clash for the  三0th time on Friday with a place in the last  一 六 of the US Open at stake.

Six-time champion Serena eased into the third round encounter with a  六- 二,  六- 二 win over German world number  一0 一 Carina Witthoeft on the back of  三0 winners and  一 三 aces.

Venus, the  二000 and  二00 一 champion in New York, made the third round for the  一 七th time with a  六- 四,  七- 五 victory over Camila Giorgi of Italy.

Friday’s match will be the earliest the sisters have met at a Slam since the  一 九 九 八 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  一 九 九 八 but Serena, bidding for a record-equalling  二 四th Grand Slam title, has built up an advantage over the last two decades, enjoying a  一 七- 一 二 head-to-head superiority.

"Friday will be incredibly hard,公众said Serena before she jokingly hit back at Venus’s claim that when they last met at a Slam in the final of the  二0 一 七 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,"大众said  三 六-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."大众— AFP