US Open 2022: 3 milestones Serena Williams achieved with her 2R win
Serena Williams extended her farewell party by reaching the third round of the US Open on Wednesday night.
The retiring Williams, playing the last tournament of her illustrious career, beat second seed Anett Kontaveit in a three-set late-night thriller in New York. With a partisan crowd vociferously behind her, the six-time winner drew first blood, taking the first set in a tiebreak.
A deafening silence descended on Arthur Ashe when Kontaveit leveled the proceedings, dropping only two games. However, Williams reasserted her ascendancy in the contest - much to the delight of the crowd - to book her place in the Round of 32.
The twirl continues. The career continues.
#Serena | #USOpen https://t.co/O4f5h9zgpv
On that note, here's a look at three milestones Williams achieved by reaching the third round at Flushing Meadows:
#1. Serena Williams extends her perfect record in first two rounds of US Open
Serena Williams is in no hurry to call time on her illustrious career. Despite winning only one of her four singles matches this year coming into New York, the 40-year-old has been a woman on a mission.
She commenced her bid for a record seventh title at Flushing Meadows with a straight-sets win over Danka Kovinic. Williams ran into second seed Anett Kontaveit in the next round but was up for the challenge.
Recovering from the loss of the second set, the 40-year-old breezed through the decider - dropping only two games - to extend her perfect record in the first two rounds at the last Grand Slam of the year.
Williams is now 42-0 in the first two rounds in New York - where she is making her 21st and final appearance this fortnight.
Automatic in the early rounds. #USOpen https://t.co/VWD3BnGLcH
To put Williams' feat into context, five-time winner Roger Federer - who is absent this year - is 38-0 in the same two rounds at the tournament. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic - also absent this year - is 31-0, while Rafael Nadal is 28-2.
#2. Serena Williams is within touching distance of Open Era record for Grand Slam singles match wins
With her second-round win over Kontaveit, Williams has now won a staggering 367 Grand Slam singles matches - with 108 of them coming in New York. The 40-year-old has won 98 matches at Wimbledon, 92 at the Australian Open and 69 at Roland Garros.
Only Roger Federer (369) has won more Grand Slam singles matches in the Open Era than Williams. The Swiss has won 105 matches at Wimbledon, 102 at the Australian Open, 89 at the US Open and 73 at Roland Garros.
367 - #SerenaWilliams has won 367 Grand Slam matches so far: only Roger Federer has won more Majors matches in the Open Era (369). Witnesses.
@WTA @WTA_insider #USOpen2022 #USOpen #Serena https://t.co/Suky3UtZeV
Williams will move level with Federer if she reaches the quarterfinals this fortnight.
#3. Serena Williams is the first woman aged 40 to beat a top-3 player
Williams achieved another milestone with her win over Kontaveit on Wednesday night.
She is now the first 40-year-old woman to beat a top-three player. Kontaveit is ranked second in the world, a ranking she achieved in June this year.
serena williams is the first woman ever, aged 40 years old, to beat a top 3 player in the world https://t.co/lCGJSS6Mek
Earlier in the tournament, by winning her first-round match, Williams joined Martina Navratilova, Kimiko Date Krumm and her sister Venus Williams as the only ladies in the Open Era to win Grand Slam matches in their teens, 20s, 30s and 40s.