NEW YORK: Venus Williams prolonged her stay at the US Open on Monday, partnering Leylah Fernandez to reach her first Grand Slam doubles quarter-final in nearly a decade.
The 45-year-old American tennis icon and Fernandez, who was born three years after Williams won the first of her 14 Grand Slam doubles titles in 1999, defeated Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova and China’s Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-4.
It is the first time Williams has reached a Grand Slam doubles quarter-final since 2016.
Williams is playing in the doubles after receiving a last-minute invitation from US Open organizers to play in the tournament she won twice alongside younger sister Serena.
The Williams-Fernandez pair could face top seeds Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and American Taylor Townsend in the quarter-finals.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion returned to competition at the end of July at the Washington Open after sixteen months away from the WTA Tour.
She indicated after her singles defeat that the US Open would likely be her last tournament of the season.
Venus Williams, Fernandez into US Open doubles quarter-finals
https://arab.news/zpges
Venus Williams, Fernandez into US Open doubles quarter-finals
Silva scores late equalizer as Dortmund grab 2-2 draw at Leipzig
- Silva then seized his moment with a left footed shot five minutes into extra time
- Dortmund remained unbeaten in their last eight away games
LEIPZIG, Germany: Fabio Silva grabbed a stoppage time equalizer as Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 at RB Leipzig to trim Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga lead to eight points on Saturday.
Second placed Dortmund had been heading for defeat after Christoph Baumgartner scored twice from close range in the first half.
The visitors came back after the break and their hopes were revived by a Romulo own goal five minutes into the half but they were still staring at defeat as the clock ticked into an added seven minutes.
Silva then seized his moment with a left footed shot five minutes into extra time.
Dortmund remained unbeaten in their last eight away games but their six match winning run came to an end at the Red Bull Arena.
Max Beir had looked like putting them ahead when he broke clear and went one-on-one on goal for Dortmund after eight minutes, but his shot was straight at goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt, and then Leipzig took control.
Baumgartner made the breakthrough in the 20th minute when Yan Diomande, in sparkling form, sent a low cross into the box for him to glance in right-footed with his back to the net.
The goal was given after an offside check.
Baumgartner took his 10th goal of the season and doubled his tally in the 39th with a perfectly timed run to tap in a cross from David Raum as the hosts ripped Dortmund apart down the left.
Leipzig, with just one win from their last six outings, stayed fifth in the standings, one point behind VfB Stuttgart who have a game in hand.
Harry Kane struck his eighth brace of the season as Bayern beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 in an earlier kickoff. Dortmund host Bayern next week.
