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U.S. Open Highlights: Serena Williams survives scare, Medvedev advances

Tennis: US OPEN
Sep 5, 2020; Flushing Meadows, New York, USA; Serena Williams of the United States celebrates after match point against Sloane Stephens of the United States (not pictured) on day six of the 2020 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Sports

Serena Williams survived a third-round scare to defeat 2017 champion Sloane Stephens and stay on course for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

The 38-year-old American dropped the opening set before staging a comeback to seal a 2-6 6-2 6-2 victory and set up a fourth-round meeting with Greek Maria Sakkari, who beat Williams at the Western & Southern Open last month.

Also advancing in the women’s draw was second seed Sofia Kenin, who overcame a sluggish start to beat Tunisian Ons Jabeur 7-6(4) 6-3 and move into the fourth round for the first time.

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka breezed past Iga Swiatek 6-4 6-2 while Belgian Elise Mertens defeated Caty McNally 7-5 6-1.

Seventh seed Madison Keys dropped the opening set to France’s Alize Cornet before retiring early in the second set with a neck injury.

In the men’s draw, Austrian second seed Dominic Thiem staved off a spirited fightback from Marin Cilic to beat the former champion 6-2 6-2 3-6 6-3.

Thiem will next face Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who made it to the last-16 of a Grand Slam for the first time with a 6-1 6-0 6-4 win over France’s Corentin Moutet.

Daniil Medvedev, last year’s runner-up, crushed American J.J. Wolf 6-3 6-3 6-2 while Australia’s Alex de Minaur recovered from a second-set ‘bagel’ to beat 11th seed Karen Khachanov 6-4 0-6 4-6 6-3 6-1.

Second seed Dominic Thiem overcame a mid-match wobble to defeat Croatian Marin Cilic 6-2 6-2 3-6 6-3 and set up a fourth-round clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Second seed Sofia Kenin secured a spot in the fourth round of the U.S. Open for the first time in her career with a 7-6(4) 6-3 victory over Turkey’s Ons Jabeur. Kenin will next face 16th seed Elise Mertens.

American Madison Keys, the 2017 runner-up, dropped the opening set of her third-round encounter against Frenchwoman Alize Cornet before retiring with a neck injury. Cornet was leading 7-6(4) 3-2 when Keys decided she was unable to continue.