The other top women’s seeds have fallen by the wayside at the U.S. Open, as have all of the various American flavors of the month. But none of them include two-time defending champ Serena Williams, who has marched past all of them and into the second week in Flushing Meadows.
Every other American woman has lost, and all the other top seeds have been upset. But Williams made sure she didn’t end up the same way. She got tested for the first time in this tournament by fellow American Varvara Lepchenko, and aced it with an emotional 6-3, 6-3 fourth-round win.
“I had to make some adjustments, but my coach gave me some excellent advice on playing in the wind,’’ Williams said. “My opponent was spectacular. It was really a good match, and it just shows how far Varvara has come. She really raised her game an unbelievable level. I just tried to hang in there, tried to remember what I needed to do.’’
Williams needed to deal with gusting winds and a game left-hander she just practiced against before the tournament started, but she found a way to fight her way into the round of 16, which suddenly is settling up perfectly for her, the only top-10 seed left in her quarter of the draw.
“I don’t know. I’ve been a casualty this whole year at Grand Slams. I’m just hoping to keep staying in there. So far. Key word,’’ said Williams, who wore a pink leopard print that fittingly matched her victory music, “Roar” by Katy Perry.
After seeing No. 2 Simona Halep, No. 3 Petra Kvitova, No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 6 Angelique Kerber and No. 8 Ana Ivanovic ousted — and the draw open up like the Grand Canyon — Williams survived and advanced to a date against Kaia Kanepi, against whom she is 3-0.
Only one woman has ever managed three straight titles at Flushing Meadows in the Open era, when Chris Evert ran off four straight from 1975-78. And if Williams plans to three-peat, she will have to play her best tennis of a heretofore-confounding season.
Despite 17 Grand Slam singles titles, Williams hasn’t reached even the quarterfinals of any of the season’s first three Slam events. Just twice has she actually failed to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal — in her tour debut back in 1998, and eight years later when she didn’t play Roland Garros or Wimbledon.
But since her vexing Wimbledon ouster, Williams clearly has tightened up her game, churning out more aces than anybody on the tour and backing up titles at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford and the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati by beating three straight Americans at the Open.
First was Taylor Townsend, then Vania King, and Saturday was Allentown, Pa., lefty Lepchenko. And after dropping just five games combined in breezing through the first two matches, Williams was at least tested against Lepchenko — and wasn’t found wanting. In a match played at a high level, there were 15 rallies of nine shots or more, and she defended well enough to take two-thirds of them.
Williams hit a modest three aces, and won’t be happy with being just 4-of-13 on break points. She had three break points against Lepchenko in the first game of the second set and couldn’t convert a single one, watching her hold.
Up 40-15 with the score tied 2-all, Williams couldn’t manage a break point again, seeing Lepchenko hold to go up 3-2. But she charged the net for a passing shot, bellowing “Come on!” and holding serve when Lepchenko’s forehand sailed long, bounding up and down like a pogo stick in celebration.
Finally tested, Williams rose to the occasion and won the final four games of the match, clinching it when Lepchenko’s forehand volley fell into the net.
“When someone is a lefty, they just open the court more,” Williams said. “You almost give up one side, say, ‘You can ace me on this side, but I’m going to expect that side.’ As you can see, she gives 100 percent on the court. She always tries to do the best. She’s great. She’s an incredible fighter.’’