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SPORTSSaturday 5 September 2015
Serena Williams’ comeback extends Grand Slam try at U.S. Open
HOWARD FENDRICH Venus Williams, of the United States, returns a shot to Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the er: Williams entered with a
AP Tennis Writer third round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, in New York. 7-0 record when dropping
NEW YORK (AP) — Can’t the first set of a match at a
count out Serena Williams, Associated Press major in 2015.
no matter how big the It took her a while to
deficit, no matter how off- day against yet another making it as far as the third Opens in a row. “’Keep try- get into the second set,
target her strokes, no mat- American, 19th-seeded round until this week. ing, keep trying, keep try- though, missing out on
ter how much the pressure Madison Keys. But by mixing in slices with ing.’” break chance after break
might be mounting as she Looking down the line, Wil- flat strokes, heading to the Mattek-Sands started well, chance, and showing her
bids for a calendar-year liams’ quarterfinal oppo- net when there were open- taking a 3-0 lead while exasperation repeatedly.
Grand Slam. nent could be her older sis- ings — and even some- grabbing 16 of the first 21 After one flubbed back-
Eight times this season at ter Venus. times when there weren’t points. hand, she wheeled and
major tournaments, Wil- There were moments Friday — Mattek-Sands played a Williams decidedly did not, looked at coach Patrick
liams has dropped the under the lights of Arthur varied, attacking style that responsible for each of the Mouratoglou in the stands.
opening set. Eight times, Ashe Stadium when it ap- gave Williams fits at times. match’s first half-dozen un- After another, she leaned
she has won. peared that Mattek-Sands, Particularly on break points: forced errors. over, pushing her forehead
The latest comeback was a wild-card entry ranked Williams was able to con- That opening set ended against the handle of her
in the third round of the 101st, would not allow that vert only 3 of 16 through with three consecutive racket.
U.S. Open on Friday night, to happen. the first two sets, before go- miscues by Williams — a This did not come easily.
when Williams figured out While Mattek-Sands won ing 3 of 5 in the third. backhand wide, a swing- Even when Williams finally
a way to deal with a tricky doubles titles this year at “I said, ‘You know what, ing forehand volley long, a converted her sixth break
opponent and get her the Australian Open and Serena? Just keep going,’” forehand return wide. point of the second set,
own game going before French Open, this was a said Williams, a 33-year-old As excited as Mattek-Sands screaming loudly to cel-
it was too late, eventually rare moment in the spot- American who also has a was, and as visibly upset ebrate the 5-3 lead, she
emerging to grab the last light for her in singles. She chance to become the first as Williams was, the match quickly double-faulted
eight games for a 3-6, 7-5, had appeared in the U.S. woman since Chris Evert could hardly be considered twice while serving for the
6-0 victory over Bethanie Open 13 other times, never in 1975-78 to win four U.S. over at that point. Consid- set, helping Mattek-Sands
Mattek-Sands. break right back. Soon
“I’m not trying to live on the thereafter, it was 5-all, and
edge,” Williams said with a Mattek-Sands was two
big smile. games from one of the
Perhaps. Still, no one does biggest surprises in tennis
it better. history.
And with so much at stake, She did not win another
no less. game.
The No. 1-ranked Williams Earlier Friday, Venus gath-
is trying to become the first ered herself after a mid-
tennis player since Steffi match dip to reel off the
Graf in 1988 to win all four five games and beat 12th-
Grand Slam tournaments seeded Belinda Bencic of
in the same season. Switzerland 6-3, 6-4.
She won the Australian Did Venus get any family
Open on hard courts in advice before facing Ben-
January, the French Open cic, who defeated Serena
on clay courts in June, and last month en route to the
Wimbledon on grass courts title at a hard-court event
in July, and now is four wins in Toronto?
away from adding the tro- “Yes, but that’s between
phy on the hard courts of us,” Venus said, breaking
the U.S. Open. Next up is into a wide smile. “I think it
a fourth-round match Sun- worked.”q
Toronto’s Warner, Montreal’s Cabrera
suspended by MLS
Toronto FC ‘s Jozy Altidore, right, shields the ball from Montre- TORONTO (AP) — Toronto prompting Warner — seem- Matt Polster was fined for
al Impact’s Victor Cabrera during the second half of a soccer FC midfielder Collen War- ingly upset that the referee actions involving a fan,
game, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015 in Toronto. ner and Montreal defender had not stopped play to al- and Philadelphia’s Cristian
Victor Cabrera have re- low treatment for his injured Maidana’s three-game
Associated Press ceived suspensions for vio- teammate — to take him suspension for spitting was
lent play. down. reduced to two games.
The MLS disciplinary com- Cabrera was suspended Commissioner Don Gar-
mittee suspended Warner one game and fined for a ber also fined Los Angeles
for two games Friday and sliding tackle from behind coach Bruce Arena, Port-
fined him for violent con- on Jozy Altidore. land coach Caleb Porter
duct after taking down Also, and owner Merritt Paulson,
Dominic Oduro in Toronto’s and Sporting Kansas City
2-1 victory last Saturday. L.A. defender Leonardo coach Peter Vermes undis-
Oduro had dribbled past was fined for failing to closed amounts for public
a prone Benoit Cheyrou, leave the field in a timely/ criticism of the officials.q
orderly matter, Chicago’s
