U.S.Open 2016: Serena Williams edges closer to new personal record as she advances to quarters

Serena Williams surpassed Roger Federer for most Grand Slam match victories in tennis’ Open era with No. 308, a 6-2, 6-3 win over Yaroslava Shvedova on Monday to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals.

Williams hit a tournament-leading 203 kph (126 mph serve), pounded 11 aces, won 28 of 30 points when a first serve landed in, and did not face a break point against the 52nd-ranked Shvedova.

The top-seeded Williams is 308-42 at major tournaments, and is now 3 more wins from her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, which would break a tie with Steffi Graf for the most in the Open era, which started in 1968.

Williams has made it to the quarterfinals in each of her past 9 appearances at Flushing Meadows.
Williams next faces No. 5 Simona Halep. Earlier in the day, Halep made the quarterfinals for the second straight year, beating Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets 6-2, 7-5. Suarez Navarro, seeded 11th, was seeking the sixth Grand Slam quarterfinal of her career.

Meanwhile, older sister Venus Williams failed to convert a match point and lost in the fourth round of the U.S. Open to a player a dozen years younger than her, 10th-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.

At 36, Venus Williams was trying to become the oldest Grand Slam quarterfinalist since Martina Navratilova was 37 at Wimbledon in 1994.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press