Serena Williams show rolls on in New York as she knocks out No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit in US Open second round

Serena Williams’ last dance at the US Open continues as she progressed to the third round with a 7-6(4) 2-6 6-2 win over Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit.

In a high quality contest played at the intensity of a Grand Slam final, it was the six-time US Open champion who emerged victorious in a thrilling clash in front of a sell-out crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium to book her place in the third round.

Williams will play Australian Ajla Tomljanovic next.

“It’s no rush here,” she said after beating the world No. 2.

“I’m loving this crowd and it’s really fantastic. There’s still a little left in me.

“Well I’m a pretty good player! This is what I do best. I love a challenge and I’m rising to the challenge. I haven’t played many matches but I’ve been practicing really well. In my last few matches it wasn’t coming together. But in New York it’s really coming together.

When asked if she was impressed with her own level, she joked: “I’m just Serena you know.

“After I lost the second set I thought I got to give my best effort or this could be it. I just wanted to keep trying and see what I could do, I just did my best and I was super excited to be honest.”

“I’m super competitive. I’m just looking at it as a bonus. I don’t have anything to prove. I don’t have anything to win and I have absolutely nothing to lose. I haven’t been able to play like this since ’98 really.

“I’ve had an X on my back since ’99. I really enjoy coming out and enjoying it and it’s been a really long time since I’ve been able to do that.”

Once again it was an electric atmosphere on Ashe and Williams used the crowd to her advantage, attacking with real intent and striking the ball venomously.

Williams applied the pressure on particularly in the seventh game of the opening set when she had four break points, but Kontaveit showed why she was the No. 2 seed as she rescued all of them.

Serena did get the break she craved to move into a 5-4 lead, but Kontaveit broke back immediately when the 40-year-old double faulted at 15-40 down.

Both players remained locked on serve until the tie-break. Williams took control of it when Kontaveit’s ambitious sliced backhand drop shot struck the net to move into a 5-3 lead before serving it out with two aces.

Williams won 89 per cent of her first serve points and hit 18 winners compared to Kontaveit’s 14.

Clearly unhappy with her first set performance, Kontaveit responded with a series of blistering forehand winners to get herself three break points and she takes it on the first with a laser-guided return of serve.

A tenth winner from Kontaveit saw her pull away further to seal a double break. Williams did pull one back, but Kontaveit broke immediately again in a set she dominated with 15 winners and just three unforced errors.

Williams converted her third break point opportunity in the second game on the decider to move into a 2-0 lead, sending the crowd into pandemonium.

Kontaveit broke back straight away only for Williams to restore her advantage again in the next game when the Estonian drilled a forehand way long.

Williams continued to battle hard to keep Kontaveit at bay, saving a break point with a scorching forehand before dragging herself over the line with a wrong-footing drive volley.

At 5-2 up, Williams surged to triple match point and she finished it off with a backhand winner down the line.

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