Serena Williams turned her 30th career meeting with her sister Venus into a one-woman showcase Friday, reaching the US Open fourth round with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Reluctantly rising to an occasion neither sister enjoys, Serena said she played her best match since she returned in March, more than six months after giving birth to daughter Olympia last September 1.
“I played much better tonight than I have since I started this journey on my way back,” said Serena, although she wasn’t sure she’d agree with Venus’s assessment that it was the best match she’d ever played against her sister.
“I think it’s by far the best match I ever played against her in forever,” she said. “But I don’t know about ever, ever.”
Either way, the scoreline equalled Serena’s most lopsided victory over Venus, and took her head-to-head record against her sister to 18-12.
The most dramatic moment of the contest came when Serena rolled her right ankle in the second game. She took a medical timeout at the next changeover to have more tape added the bandage she was already wearing under her sock.
There was no sign she was affected as she romped through seven straight games.
