Stephens, Serena into Round 4 of the US Open

2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens is staying steady on her US Open title defense after advancing to round 4 on Friday after defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, 6-3, 6-4. 

The one hour 46-minute tussle saw Stephens place 20 winners en route to victory. 

“I just hung in there,” Stephens told the fans. “I was just battling as hard as I could.”

Stephens is currently the highest-seeded player left in the women’s draw, and next will face off against No. 15 Elise Mertens of Belgium.

Stephens’ Fed Cup teammate, Serena Williams, will also be advancing to the fourth round, after dismissing her older sister and two-time US Open winner, Venus, in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. 

In the most anticipated matchup of the US Open, Serena served up her sister power, precision and depth, dropping only three games in the one hour and 12 minute match. 

On the men’s side, No. 11 seed John Isner battled into the fourth round, dismissing Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 7-5. 

Isner fired 34 aces on the match and struck 85 winners to secure his round 4 spot. 

In doubles action, Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren dismissed Julio Peralta of Chili and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina, seeded No. 13, 6-4, 7-6. 

New Jersey native Christina McHale is advancing in both mixed and women’s doubles. 

She teamed up with compatriot Caroline Dolehide to oust the No. 10 seeded team, Hao-Ching Chan and Zhaoxuan Yang, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6. 

Earlier in the day, she took the court with Christian Harrison, and the pair dismissed another All-American team, Vania King and Nicholas Monroe. 

Christian Harrison also saw success in men’s doubles, advancing into round 3 with brother Ryan after defeating the 10th-seeded team of Marc Lopez and Feliciano Lopez, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.