Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka reach fourth round at Wimbledon
— -- LONDON -- Venus Williams, at 37 years old, became the oldest woman to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon since 1994 with her 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over 19-year-old Naomi Osaka on Friday.
Martina Navratilova was also 37 when she was the tournament's runner-up in 1994.
"It's interesting, for sure," Williams said of the 18-year age gap between her and Osaka. "But I guess when you walk on the court, I don't think either of us is thinking about the age. You're thinking about, 'How do I win?'
"She played an amazing match today. She really played a match that was worth -- she deserved to win. But these sort of matches are always so close."
Williams, a five-time champion at the All England Club, will next face 27th-seeded Ana Konjuh, the youngest player remaining in the field at 19.
"I've played three matches now, and had zero breathing room in any of them," Williams said. "My opponents played well, served well, competed well all moments. I've had to step it up. I imagine that's going to continue. All I can do is try to be my best."
This is the first tournament for the 10th-seeded Williams since a two-car crash in Florida last month that police say she caused. A 78-year-old man in the other car died about two weeks later.
Azarenka also lost the first set in her opening match, but that was only her third match since her return. Friday's match was only her fifth.
"This is the matches that you're looking for," Azarenka said. "Try to find a way when not everything goes great."
Prior to this year's event, Azarenka had been 0-8 in Wimbledon matches in which she had dropped the first set. She's 2-0 this year.
The two-time Grand Slam champion will next face No. 2 seed? Simona Halep?in the fourth round on Monday. Halep, who beat? Peng Shuai? 6-4, 7-6 (7) on Friday, won her only previous meeting against Azarenka in a Grand Slam event at the 2015 US Open.
Konjuh, who made it to the US Open quarterfinals last year, compiled a 54-22 edge in winners while ousting No. 8 seed Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-4 to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time.
The victory over Cibulkova, who was the runner-up at the 2014 Australian Open, was only the second for Konjuh in eight career matches against women ranked in the top 10.
Sixth-seeded Johanna Konta?reached the second week of Wimbledon for the first time, keeping alive hopes of ending a 40-year Grand Slam drought by British women. Konta dispatched Maria Sakkari?6-4, 6-1 to become the first British woman to reach the Round of 16 since Laura Robson in 2013.
Also advancing to the fourth round: fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina, who eliminated? Carina Witthoeft?6-1, 7-5; No. 13 seed? Jelena Ostapenko, who ousted Italian Camila Giorgi 7-5, 7-5;?and 21st-seeded Caroline Garcia, who won 21 of 27 net points in a 6-4, 6-3 victory over? Madison Brengle.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
