Serena Williams, a tennis player who has won 23 Grand Slam titles, has not been stopped in her quest to compete in the WTA tournament again this week.
Playing at Eastbourne International in doubles with Tunisian Ons Jabeur, the US-Tunisia duo managed to secure a convincing 6-2, 6-4 win over Shuko Aoyama and Chan Hao-Ching in the quarter-finals.
In his first tournament since sustaining a foot injury at Wimbledon last season, the 40-year-old found his way to victory after joining forces with world number 3 Jabeur for the first time.
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“For me, it feels really great,” Jabeur exclaimed. “We played much better than the opener. I think we are getting used to each other now. I’m ready for more tournaments, to be honest with you.”
Williams chimed in, “Me too. I had a really good training session going into Wimbledon and this tournament. I hit the ball really well and just practiced and practiced. Everything is well connected. I feel I served well. Really train hard for it.”
After fierce openers against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, the US-Tunisia duo made it easier in the Eastbourne International quarter-finals by sinking Aoyama and Chan in just 65 minutes.
After winning the first set without facing a single break point opportunity, the US-Tunisia duo were put to the test more in the second set. But the Japan-China team were unable to convert any of their nine break point chances, with the US ace securing four of them.
Waiting for Serena Williams and Jabeur in the Eastbourne International semifinals are Aleksandra Krunic and Magda Linette.
Krunic and Linette needed just 57 minutes to beat second seeded pair Gabriela Dabrowski and Giuliana Olmos 6-1, 6-3.
While in singles, defending champion and eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko qualified for the quarter-finals after her opponent, 11th seed Madison Keys withdrew from their match due to an abdominal injury. The eighth seed had won the first set 6-3 when the American was forced to stop due to pain.
Keys, who won the first singles title of his career at Eastbourne in 2014, has beaten Ostapenko in their previous two meetings. But the 11th seed was unable to maintain a winning streak over the Latvian with an injury blocking his stride.
In the quarter-finals, Ostapenko will face world number 36 Anhelina Kalinina, who beat 16th seed Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
