Venus Extends Winning Streak
N E W Y O R K, Sept. 2 -- It’s been a bumpy trip to the fourth round ofthe U.S. Open for Venus Williams. But she’s there.
Williams ran her match winning streak to a season-high 22 whenshe sputtered but didn’t stop until she had walked off the ArthurAshe Stadium court with a 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory over MeghannShaughnessy.
“I guess now I’ve been winning quite a few,” said Williams,who began her run of success by capturing Wimbledon in July. “Iguess I have the longest streak this year. That’s nice.”
Friday night’s victory over the unheralded right-hander fromScottsdale, Ariz., put Williams into the round of 16, where shewill face unseeded Magui Serna of Spain. Serna upset 13th-seededAmanda Coetzer 7-5, 7-6 (3).
“I prefer to play a higher-ranked player, but you can’t pickthe draw,” Williams said.
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Also winning third-round women’s matches Friday were No. 1Martina Hingis, No. 6 Monica Seles, No. 8 Nathalie Tauziat, No. 9Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, No. 11 Sandrine Testud and No. 15 JenniferCapriati.
No. 3 Magnus Norman—the highest-seeded player remaining in themen’s draw—won his second-round match Friday, as did No. 6 MaratSafin, No. 8 Alex Corretja, No. 10 Cedric Pioline, No. 12 JuanCarlos Ferrero and No. 14 Nicolas Kiefer.
Unlike Thursday, when defending champion and top-seeded AndreAgassi was ousted, no seeded players were eliminated Friday on thehardcourts of the National Tennis Center.
The night’s final match, between No. 15 Mark Philippoussis andJan-Michael Gambill, was postponed by rain and rescheduled for today.
French Open champion Mary Pierce was set to open today’s playagainst Lisa Raymond. Second up in Arthur Ashe Stadium was No. 4Pete Sampras against Argentine’s Agustin Calleri, followed by No.12 Anna Kournikova against Belgium’s Justine Henin.
It didn’t take long for Williams to realize she had a toughopponent in Shaughnessy. Just three games, actually—all won byShaughnessy.
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