NEW YORK — The numbers related to Serena Williams’ U.S. Open quarterfinal victory over Wang Qiang had been so stark, they bear studying greater than as soon as.
Winners: 25-0. Points: 50-15. Minutes: 44. Score: 6-1, 6-0.
This is the portion of the event that’s imagined to be the place successful a Grand Slam title will get tough, the place the remaining gamers are among the many absolute best opposition round. And but there was Williams in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday evening, making one of many final eight girls within the draw, somebody ranked No. 18 in a world of billions, feel and appear fully overwhelmed.
”Didn’t give her too many probabilities,” Williams mentioned.
A reporter wished to know what shocked Wang essentially the most about being throughout the web from Williams for the primary time.
”Power,” got here the reply.
The method she hit groundstrokes from the baseline? The method she served?
”Everything,” Wang mentioned with a smile.
Looking as dominant as may be as she moved nearer to a 24th Grand Slam singles trophy and seventh U.S. Open championship, Williams was not troubled one bit by the best ankle she rolled in her earlier match.
”Physically, I’m feeling nice,” Williams mentioned, “and more than anything, I’m having fun every time I come out here.”
Roger Federer adopted her into Ashe and didn’t have a great time, coping with higher again and neck issues whereas giving freely leads in opposition to a man he’d by no means misplaced to, bowing out within the quarterfinals 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in opposition to 78th-ranked Grigor Dimitrov.
”Just dissatisfied it’s over. Because I really was feeling I used to be taking part in very well,” mentioned Federer, who mentioned he started having bodily issues Tuesday afternoon after which took a rare-for-him medical timeout earlier than the fifth set. “A missed opportunity, to some extent.”
The No. 3-seeded Federer joined defending champion and No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic on the sideline lower than two months after their epic five-set Wimbledon remaining. Djokovic retired from his fourth-round match on the U.S. Open due to a painful left shoulder.
Dimitrov will play No. 5 Daniil Medvedev within the semifinals Friday.
Medvedev reached his first Grand Slam semifinal by overcoming 12 double-faults and a left thigh subject to get previous three-time main champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
Against Wang, who was making her debut in a significant quarterfinal, Williams grabbed the primary 5 video games in about 15 minutes. Then, after dropping one recreation, Williams collected the following 11 factors to start out a seven-game run the remainder of the best way.
She managed just about each level, just about from the beginning, no matter whether or not she was serving or returning. She hit the ball arduous, effectively and true, pushing Wang round and infrequently letting get into place for a correct reply. Williams was so dialed in, there weren’t all that many events to check her ankle, however on these uncommon cases when she did have to run, she seemed to be greater than OK.
That’s an enormous motive Wang couldn’t handle even one winner.
”Yeah, that’s a great stat for me. It’s good as a result of I need to have the ability to transfer across the courtroom. I transfer once I wish to transfer,” Williams mentioned. “I guess I wanted to move tonight.”
This was her 100th match win on the U.S. Open, courting to her debut in 1998 as a teen.
”From once I first began right here … I by no means thought that I might get to 100. Didn’t even cross my thoughts I might nonetheless be out right here,” mentioned Williams, who turns 38 later this month. “But I love what I do.”
The American will face No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine for a berth within the remaining. Svitolina eradicated 16th-seeded Johanna Konta of Britain 6-4, 6-Four earlier Tuesday.
”She will get plenty of balls again. She doesn’t make plenty of errors,” Williams mentioned about Svitolina, who beat her on the 2016 Rio Olympics. “She’s one of those players that does everything really well. So I have to do everything well, too.”
With her boyfriend, Gael Monfils, watching within the stands, Svitolina received to the…