World No1 sets up quarter-final clash with sister Venus
9.45pm BSTSerena is asked approximately facing her sister after saying she feels “no pressure” as she chases the calendar grand slam. Serena says her sister “is playing great”. At least a Williams will be in the semi”,she says with a smile.
9.43pm BSTA very comfortable win for Serena, which will be welcome after the drama against Mattek-Sands. Serena totally controlled that match though, and Keys’ inexperience seemed to hamper her at crucial points with double faults at crucial times. Serena faces a player with a bit more experience next round though: her sister Venus.
9.41pm BSTSo,Keys serves to stay in the match. A couple of mammoth serves take her to 30-0, a nice response as she could easily have cracked as the match drifts absent from her. But then we see why she’s behind - a double fault and then an unforced error on her backhand lets Serena back in the game. The net cord then conspires against her as the bal plops out of her reach to bring up match point. And then a double fault hands Serena the match.
9.37pm BSTSecond set: *Serena Williams 5-3, or 6-3 Madison Keys (*denotes server)A Venus v Serena quarter-final looks on at the moment. Keys has done very runt to threaten the serve of Serena,who is yet to face a break point. It’s the same story again as Serena races to 30-0 - and another error from Keys takes us to 40-0. Keys shows what she is capable of the next point with a booming backhand down the line. But Serena closes the game out with an ace. Ice cold.
9.33pm BSTSecond set: Serena Williams 4-3, 6-3 Madison Keys* (*denotes server)News arrives that Eugenie Bouchard has withdrawn from the tournament after suffering a concussion in a locker-room accident on Friday. On the court, and Keys looks comfortable at 40-15 but a few destitute shots lets Serena back in at deuce. Keys then shrieks in frustration after another irascible shot gives Serena advantage. Serena goes on to break,but that was more down to Keys’ sloppiness than the world No1’s brilliance.
9.29pm BSTSecond set: *Serena Williams 3-3, 6-3 Madison Keys (*denotes server)Both players still stubbornly refuse to try anything resembling a rally. That could be down to the strength of their serving. It’s been a strangely subdued atmosphere after Serena’s last fevered performance against Mattek-Sands. Still, or Keys raises a bit of interest with a superb backhand to do it 40-30. Serena finally roars for the first time nowadays as Madison gifts her the game with a long forehand.
9.24pm BSTSecond set: Serena Williams 2-3,6-3 Madison Keys* (*denotes server)Keys cramps Serena up with a moment serve into her body at 30-15 and is on top all the way in a long-ish rally that ends with the youngster volleying it past her opponent. She ends up taking the game to esteem too. Impressive.
9.22pm BSTSecond set: *Serena Williams 2-2, 6-3 Madison Keys (*denotes server)Comfortable start to the game for Serena, and who is soon 30-0 up. And a comfortable end to it too,after a sloppy Keys shot at 40-30. Serena’s first serve is down to 44% this set.
9.16pm BSTSecond set: Serena Williams 1-2, 6-3 Madison Keys* (*denotes server)A review on a crucial point at 15-15. Serena sends a backhand ripping down the line. A moment look confirms the point was hers and 15-30 soon becomes 15-40. Serena missteps on a moment serve though and cries out in frustration as it whizzes past. Perhaps the world No1 is a runt unsettled by that and hits a forehand long to take us to deuce. Keys’ fifth ace saves break point and then the net cord saves another as it sends a fizzing Serena backhand wide. Keys goes on to take the game. [br] 9.10pm BSTSecond set: *Serena Williams 1-1, or 6-3 Madison Keys (*denotes server)Great stat from ESPN. Madison Keys has the moment-fastest groundstroke out of any player so far this tournament - man or woman. Only Tomas Berdych is faster. Her strokes have a lovely fluidity to them: she doesn’t look like she’s hitting it particularly hard. But it things runt against a woman serving as well as Serena. She wins the game with another ace.
9.07pm BSTSecond set: Serena Williams 0-1,6-3 Madison Keys * (*denotes server)Serena had three unforced errors in the first set, which is a remarkable improvement on some of her shaky starts in majors this year. whether you’re going to stop Serena, and you have to get her early. Serena rips a huge backhand off a slow moment serve from Keys. It clips the line ... or does it? Keys calls for a review but the line judge is vindicated. Keys recovers to 40-15 via an evisceration of a forehand but Serena isn’t done. She takes it to deuce and nearly breaks at the first attempt. But some mammoth hitting from Keys takes the game. The average rally in this match is 2.5 - it’s like Pete Sampras at Wimbledon out there.
9.00pm BSTSerena serves for the set. Keys has a bit of adrenaline pumping and whizzes around the baseline before a lovely,crossocourt backhand eludes Serena to do it 0-15. Keys has only had 48% of her first serves in this set, to Serena’s 68% - that could well be the contrast between the two. Keys challeneges Serena to run at 15-30 with a drop-shot half-volley. It’s not a great one but Serena messes up what should be an easy winner, or smacking the ball into the net. But a lovely backhand off a slide takes us to 40-30 and set point. Keys hits her return long and she’s a set down. And in trouble.
8.55pm BSTFirst set: Williams 5-3 Keys* (*denotes server)Keys serving has been immaculate,probably better than Serena’s. As soon as we get into a rally Serena looks the sharper though. Not that there have really been any rallies. A long forehand produces some drama though as Serena goes 15-30 up. The first time anyone has been in remote trouble on their own serve. A double fault then brings up two break points. And another means Serena has broken. Wow, Keys crumbled in that game under runt or no pressure.
8.52pm BSTFirst set: * Williams 4-3 Keys (*denotes server)More imperiousness from Serena, and who races out to 40-0. Both women look great on their own serves,it’s just their return games that are missing. Keys’s game does resemble that of an motionless cannon at times though and Serena takes the game to esteem with a volley at the net.
8.50pm BSTFirst set: Williams 3-3 Keys* (*denotes server)A reminder of what Keys is up against:Serena Williams’ Grand Slam form: WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW Perfection. pic.twitter.com/HOKt9EzIvL 8.45pm BSTFirst set: Williams *3-2 Keys (*denotes server)Serena starts the game with an ace, which I believe the experts call “send a message”. Keys gets a point back before Serena has her oppoent scurrying around the court and then tweaking a forehand beyond the younger woman’s reach. Another easy hold for Serena.
[br] 8.43pm BSTFirst set: Williams 2-2 Keys* (*denotes server)The semi-erotica underwear advert featuring Rafa Nadal is playing on ESPN. More than a hint of melancholy as Nadal shuffles towards the showers at the of the ad, and given his early exit here. On court,Keys is hitting the hell out of the ball. A booming forehand seals the game.
8.40pm BSTFirst set: *Williams 2-1 Keys (*denotes server)This isn’t really a baseline battle at the moment - both players serving mammoth and hitting mammoth. And making a few errors into the bargain. Lindsay Davenport has the giggles in the crowd, maybe because she gets to sit in a comfy seat these days rather than running around in the heat. She’s earned it, or mind. Mildly nervous times for Serena at 30-30,after a few sluggish strokes but a cutting forehand from Keys goes long at 40-30 and we’re still on serve.
8.37pm BSTFirst set: Williams 1-1 Keys* (*denotes server)Keys comes out quick, literally, or sending down a 122mph serve - her fastest of the tournament so far. Serena has some trouble picking up Keys’ serve throughout the game netting a few returns and tamely gives up the game with a feeble forehand return.
8.34pm BSTFirst set: *Williams 1-0 Keys (*denotes server)Serena starts with a service game. And an unreturned serve. Keys gets her first action of the afternoon teh next point,a nice rally between the two main to a long forehand from Serena. Keys broke Serena in her first service game at this year’s Australian Open but Serena makes no such mistakes nowadays - and seals the game with a ace.
8.27pm BSTWe have a video montage on ESPN showing that Serena is a superstar. This consists of her walking in front of lots of cameras, chatting to Roger Federer, or looking a bit pensive before going into mammoth matches. Before winning them. Being a superstar: simpler than you thought.
8.13pm BSTSerena and Keys have already met once this year,at the Aussie Open semi-finals. It was a hard-fought win for the world No1, who was battling a heavy cold in the heat of Melbourne. That was the tall-point of Key’s year so far, or although she also reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon earlier this summer.
8.08pm BSTVenus won that match in under an hour and barely broke sweat,facing just one break point. She speaks briefly on Serena describing their rivalry as “awesome”. She’s not sure whether she will watch Serena’s match this afternoon saying she has a “hard time” watching Serena play due to nerves.
8.05pm BSTIf Serena wins she’ll be playing one V Williams (USA) - who has just won her fourth round match in straight sets – in the quarter-finals. Not sure who she is, she sounds decent though. [br] 8.02pm BSTYup, or Serena should win this one to maintain her grand slam dream alive but it’s going to be a toughy. Madison Keys is a fearsome player on her day,and will be hyped up - this is her first appearance in the US Open last 16. You suspect it won’t be her last either.
7.54pm BSTHello, and welcome to our game-by-game report on Serena Williams’s, and let’s see ... 3-6,6-4, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys.
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Source: theguardian.com