Serena Williams booked a quarter final clash against elder sister Venus with a straight sets win over Madison Keys at Flushing Meadows.
The world No 1, is looking to become the first player since Steffi Graff to win all four major titles in a calendar year. It took her just under 70 minutes to see off the 19th seed 6-3, 6-3 in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After a tight opening, the 21-time major champion took advantage of Keys’ back-to-back double faults to break in the eighth game, before recovering from a close-range missed volley to hold serve and win the opening set.
Keys is considered a potential successor to Serena’s dominance in the women’s game, but the 20-year-old never really recovered from her unforced errors in a game of few long rallies.
After missing a series of break points earlier in the set, Williams eventually made her pressure pay by winning the seventh game, before breaking again to win the match as Keys finished with another double fault.
It means the Williams sisters will clash for the 27th time in the last eight with Venus threatening to end her sibling’s pursuit of a first calendar grand slam since 1988.
Three-time defending champion Serena holds a 15-11 advantage in the sisterly head-to-head series against Venus, splitting their four previous clashes at the U.S. Open.
“She’s playing great,” 33-year-old Serena said about her elder sister. “I have to really be ready for that. At least one of us, a Williams, will be in the semis.
“I served much better today. I’m so proud I was able to serve better. I had to, I knew I wouldn’t have too many chances to break.”
Venus Williams needed less than 50 minutes to see off Estonian qualifier Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 6-1 and book her place in the last eight.
Williams raced 5-love clear in the second set, but the teenager recovered to hold serve before being beaten in the next game.
