Serena pinagbakasyon si Stephens sa US Open

NEW YORK--Tinalo ni defending champion at top-seeded Serena Williams si 15th-seeded Sloane Stephens, 6-4, 6-1, sa fourth round ng US Open.

“When you give her that opportunity to take that step forward, she definitely makes her move,” sabi ng 20-anyos na si Stephens sa 31-anyos na si Williams. “Unfortunately, today she made her move.”

Matapos ang kanyang first-round loss sa French Open noong Mayo ng 2012, nagtala si Williams ng 95-5 at nanalo sa 13 tournaments.

Kasama dito ang tatlo sa huling limang major championships para itaas ang kanyang Grand Slam trophy total sa 16.

Sa quarterfinals ay ma­kakatapat ni Williams si 18th-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro ng Spain, hindi pa nakakapaglaro sa semifi­nals ng anumang major tour­­nament.

Si Williams ang tanging  woman player na nakaabante sa quarterfinals ng lahat ng Grand Slam tournament ngayong season.

Makakaharap naman ni Alison Riske si Daniela Hantuchova sa fourth round bukod pa sa laban nina No. 2 Victoria Azarenka at No. 13  Ana Ivanovic, No. 10 Roberta Vinci at Camila Giorgi, at No. 21 Simona Halep at Flavia Pennetta.

Sa men’s fourth-round action, haharapin ni 17-time Grand Slam champion Ro­ger Federer si No. 19 Tommy Robredo, habang makakatapat ni 12-time major winner Rafael Nadal si No. 22 Philipp Kohlschreiber.