NEW YORK — Now comes a challenge for Venus Williams and Serena Williams at the U.S. Open: a match against each other.
Except unlike so many of their all-in-the-family faceoffs at Grand Slam tournaments, including at Wimbledon in July, this Williams vs. Williams showdown will not decide the championship. Instead, this one will come in the quarterfinals.
Both advanced through the fourth round quite easily Monday. The No. 7-seeded Venus dismissed No. 9 Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 6-3, before No. 4 Serena dispatched wild-card entrant Severine Bremond 6-2, 6-2 at night.
“Even the semis would have been better than the quarter-finals, but at least one of us will make it to the semis,” Serena told the crowd during an on-court interview. “I’ve got probably the toughest match of the tournament coming up next, so I’ve got to be ready.”
The sisters’ matchup Wednesday will be a tiebreaker of sorts.
They have met 16 times as professionals, with each winning eight. That includes 10 meetings at major tournaments, with each winning five. The most recent was when Venus beat Serena for the title at the All England Club, the seventh all-Williams Grand Slam final.
Of the eight women left in the U.S. Open, only two have won a Grand Slam title: Serena leads all active players with eight, and Venus is right behind with seven.
They won every U.S. Open women’s singles championship from 1999 to 2002, meeting in the finals the last two years in that span.
Also advancing to the women’s quarterfinals were No. 6 Dinara Safina, who defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld 7-5, 6-0, and No. 16 Flavia Pennetta, who beat No. 32 Amelie Mauresmo 6-3, 6-0.
In men’s action, No. 1 Rafael Nadal faced a tough challenge from 55th-ranked Sam Querrey, a 20-year-old Californian who had never been to the fourth round at a major tournament.
Querrey hung in during extended baseline rallies, and even briefly led in the third set, before losing 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-3. Nadal next meets another unseeded American, Mardy Fish, who served and volleyed his way past No. 32 Gael Monfils 7-5, 6-2, 6-2.
Also advancing: No. 17 Juan Martin del Potro, who ended the run of Kei Nishikori, the first Japanese man to reach the U.S. Open’s fourth round in the 40-year Open era. Del Potro won the contest between teenagers 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 for his 23rd consecutive victory. Del Potro will face No. 6 Andy Murray, who eliminated 10th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.
