Super Serena sends second seed packing

Serena Williams roared into the third round of the US Open on Wednesday, overpowering second seed Anett Kontaveit with a battling performance to extend her Grand Slam singles career in dramatic fashion.

The 40-year-old icon－who has signaled she plans to retire after the tournament－drew on all her reserves of resilience and sheer fighting spirit to take down Kontaveit－7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2－at an electric Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Kontaveit appeared to have gained the upper hand over the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion after tying the match at 1-1 with a dominant second-set display.

But Williams showed her champion's mentality to break Kontaveit twice before closing out victory to leave a sellout crowd featuring the likes of golf superstar Tiger Woods on its feet.

"You know this is what I do best," a delighted Williams said after her win.

"I love a challenge and love rising to the challenge. I haven't played many matches but I've been practicing really well and my last few matches it just wasn't coming together... But the last couple of matches here in New York it's really come together."

Williams admitted she had feared the worst after she was unable to respond as Kontaveit upped her game to take the second set.

"I thought 'Oh my goodness, I've got to give my best effort because this could be it," Williams said. "I just wanted to keep trying and see what I could do and do my best."

Williams said she was now playing with no pressure with the finish line of her remarkable career in sight.

"I don't have anything to prove, I don't have anything to win. I have absolutely nothing to lose," she said.

Kontaveit admitted she had been rattled by a ferociously partisan New York crowd.

"I expected it but it was really hard," Kontaveit said. "I knew it was coming. It was something I'd never experienced before."

In the men's draw, 2012 champion Andy Murray advanced to the third round for the first time in six years with a four-set win over American wild card Emilio Nava.

The 35-year-old Scot prevailed 5-7,6-3, 6-1, 6-0 and is delighted at how his injury-prone body is holding up thus far.

"Physically this is the best I've felt in the last few years," said Murray.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios delivered a typically volatile display in a four-set win over France's Benjamin Bonzi on Louis Armstrong court.

Kyrgios appeared to aim a mouthful of spit in the general direction of his box and then dropped several F-bombs at his team during a 7-6 (3),6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory.

He also complained to the umpire that he could smell marijuana smoke in the crowd.

AFP