Serena flies into semi-final, claims 100th US Open win

NEW YORK: Serena Williams claimed her 100th win at the US Open in style on Tuesday, dismantling her quarter-final opponent Wang Qiang 6-1 6-0 in a blistering 44-minute performance that ended any questions over a twisted ankle from the previous round.

“I never thought that I would get to 100,” Williams said after the match, reflecting on the two decades she’s spent playing at Flushing Meadows. “It’s so special. I never want to let it go.”

The eighth-seeded American joins Chris Evert as the only two players to log at least 100 victories at tournament.

The 37-year-old Williams was dominant from the start, firing off 25 winners, compared to zero from 18th-seed Wang, and winning 90% of her first serve points.

Williams pumped her fist in celebration after firing off a forehand winner in front of a roaring crowd to end the contest.

“It feels good,” Williams said. “This is how hard I’ve been working. It feels like … hard work pays off when that happens.”

During her fourth-round match on Sunday, Williams slipped and fell while running to the net and twisted her right ankle but said on Tuesday she was feeling “great”.

Wang, who had not faced Williams before, was unable to save any of the five break point opportunities against her and said she simply could not stand up to the power from the 23-times Grand Slam champion.

“I cannot handle it. Just too much for me,” said Wang.

Williams faces fifth-seed Elina Svitolina, who she leads 4-1 in head-to-head, in the semi-finals.

“She doesn’t make a lot of mistakes,” said Williams when asked about the upcoming matchup. “She’s one of those players that does everything really well.

“So I have to do everything well, too.”