Two-time US Open champion Venus Williams beat No.26 seed Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-2, to qualify for the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the 14th time in her career.
“I’m happy with putting wins under my belt,” she said after the match. “I’m always in search for perfection. If it’s not perfect, I’m back to the drawing board
“Today was a more straightforward win, but not perfect. So I’ll be working on perfection.”
Rejuvenated Venus hit 11 winners and broke her opponent’s serve six times to subdue the German, who was without a chance.
“Everything I’ve gone through has proven to me that I love the game, because to be out here is an effort, to say the least. So it’s proved that I love this clearly enough to go through this. And to reach perfection is something I still expect from myself, no matter what, whatever it is I’m going through.”
Venus will now play big-serving 10th seeded Karolina Pliskova on Monday.
“Each match is different. I approach them differently. We play kind of a similar game. So it’s about one of us playing that game better.
“I haven’t played her that often. So go out there and put the ball in the court, try to win.”
At 36 and suffering from Sjogren’s syndrome, Venus simply keeps rolling. After finishing 2011 ranked just 103rd and failing to reach the fourth round of a single Grand Slam from 2012-14, she now has accomplished that feat in five of the past seven majors.
“It’s just a lot of willpower,” WIlliams said. “That’s really what it is. I started to feel better more consistently this year, so I’m always trying to find things to help me feel my best. But even if I’m not feeling great, I still manage to get a good fight in out there.”
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