Serena Williams is improbably by way of to the third spherical of the US Open after a 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 win over the second-seeded Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday evening, extending what she’s strongly hinted would be the ultimate occasion of her storied profession for no less than two extra days.

The 23-time main singles champion, who entered the match ranked 605th with just one match win in 450 days, gained a tense opening set in a tiebreaker earlier than Kontaveit, the world No 2 from Estonia, broke instantly to open the second then twice extra to power a decider.

Amid breathless pomp and a rollicking sellout crowd squarely in Williams’ nook, Kontaveit held her nerve time once more, preventing off the primary 5 break factors she confronted and 7 of 9 within the first two units. However following a commerce of service breaks early within the third, Williams broke once more and held on by way of the end line, conjuring yet one more thrilling spectacle on the primary present courtroom of the match she’s gained six occasions.

After Williams crunched a backhand winner previous her opponent on match level after 2hr 27min, she calmly raised a primary towards her participant field amid the roars of greater than 23,000 spectators who stuffed Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“There’s slightly left in me,” stated Williams, who has gained 23 of her previous 25 matches towards opponents ranked within the high two together with eight straight. “We’ll see.”

Williams advances to a third-round assembly on Friday towards Ajla Tomljanović, an unseeded Australian ranked 46th, in a all of the sudden broad open part of the ladies’s draw. Among the many different seeds to fall on Friday have been No 14 Leylah Annie Fernandez and No 23 Barbora Krejčíková, whose departures make sure that Williams can’t face one other seeded opponent till no less than the quarter-finals.

“It’s no rush right here,” she stated. “I’m loving this crowd. There’s nonetheless slightly left in me. We’ll see. I’m a fairly good participant, that is what I do finest. I like a problem and I’m rising to the problem.”

Williams, who turns 41 subsequent month and has performed sparingly since final 12 months’s Wimbledon as a consequence of a nagging hamstring damage, revealed her plans to retire earlier this month. Her lowered kind was laid naked within the US Open run-up tournaments that adopted the announcement – a 6-2, 6-Four loss to Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic in Toronto, instantly adopted by a 6-4, 6-Zero stunner to Emma Raducanu in Cincinnati – which left many observers pessimistic about her possibilities in Flushing Meadows.

However as she’s finished numerous occasions in a panoramic 27-year skilled profession that’s seen her pile up extra grand slam titles than some other participant within the Open period, Williams has defied expectations by elevating her stage for her presumptive farewell match. Not like her nervy begin to Monday’s first-round win over Danka Kovinic, Williams’ serve was dialed in from the beginning on Wednesday evening, clocking as excessive as 119mph and hitting her targets at will. She hung with the big-hitting Kontaveit in muscular baseline volleys and moved concerning the courtroom with a fluidity thought lengthy gone.

“I haven’t performed many matches, however I’ve been working towards very well,” Williams stated. “The final couple of matches it’s come collectively. After I misplaced the second set I believed, ‘I’ve obtained to provide my finest effort as a result of this may very well be it’.

“I’m simply it as a bonus. I don’t have something to lose. I’ve had an X on my again since 1999. I actually take pleasure in simply popping out and having fun with it.”