US Open: Serena sets up last-eight clash with Pennetta post straight-set Kanepi win

Defending champion Serena Williams advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open with straight sets win over Estonia's Kaia Kanepi in the women's singles.

Williams defeated Kanepi 6-3, 6-3 in 65 minutes and will next face 11 th seed Flavia Pennetta, who beat Australian Casey Dellacqua 7-5, 6-2 to reach the last eight in New York for the fifth time in seven years.

The victory keeps Williams on course to become only the second woman to win three consecutive US Open titles since the Open Era began in 1968. It is the first time Williams, a five-time champion in New York, has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam this year, The BBC reported.

Were Williams to win the title for a third straight year, she would emulate compatriot Chris Evert, who won the US Open four times in succession from 1975 to 1978.

Williams said that she never thought that it would be so exciting, and added that it feels good. She said that she does not want this to end, but is just happy that she is able to be performing a little better at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Italy's Pennetta said that she just likes to play at the US open and that is the reason she plays good there. She added that when one is young, one wants it too badly to have something.

Pennetta further added that when one is a little bit old, one sees things in a different way.

Moreover, Russian tennis ace Ekaterina Makarova, seeded 17th, beat Eugenie Bouchard 7-6 (7-2), 6-4. Bouchard had her blood pressure taken during a medical timeout on a sweltering New York day.

Bouchard said that she was feeling very light-headed and dizzy on the court, just seeing things a little blurry, and added that feeling well physically on the court is very important to her.

Makarova said that she thought, thanks, because she also was tired, and added that it was really a help for her also because she had some time to recover and also to use some ice bags.