NEW YORK, Sept 8: Her breathing loud enough to hear in an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium, her third-set deficit a point from growing to 3-1 against someone who beat her less than two weeks earlier, Serena Williams scrambled to extend a 13-stroke exchange until her opponent netted a forehand.
�Keep fighting!� Williams exhorted herself.
Locked in a tough fourth-round match on Monday, and without the benefit of a pro-American audience, Williams provided her own encouragement along the way to coming back and beating 15th-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, reaching the quarterfinals in a 12th consecutive appearance at Flushing Meadows.
�I feel like I�m pretty vocal with or without a crowd... I�m super passionate. This is my job. This is what I wake up to do. This is what I train to do, 365 days of the year,� said Williams, who moved a step closer to a record-tying 24th Grand Slam title.
�Yeah, I�m always going to bring that fire and that passion, she continued, and that �Serena� to the court.�
When the match ended, after Williams collected six of the last seven games, she turned and yelled toward her husband, who stood at his front-row seat and yelled right back.
How tight was this contest? Sakkari produced more aces than Williams, 13-12, and more total winners, 35-30. � AP
