It’s Williams v Williams in third round at US Open

Get ready for the latest Grand Slam instalment of Williams vs. Williams. One big difference this time: The superstar siblings will be meeting in the third round at the US Open, their earliest showdown at a major tournament in 20 years.

Serena Williams set up the highly anticipated matchup at Flushing Meadows by hitting 13 aces and overwhelming 101st-ranked Carina Witthoeft of Germany 6-2, 6-2 in a little more than an hour in Arthur Ashe Stadium yesterday afternoon. Hours earlier, across the way at Louis Armstrong Stadium, Venus Williams did her part with another straight-sets victory, eliminating 40th-ranked Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-4, 7-5.

“Unfortunately and fortunately, we have to play each other. We make each other better. We bring out the best when we play each other. It’s what we do,” Serena said. “I think we’re used to it now.”

When they play on Saturday, it will be their 30th tour-level encounter — plus, of course, all those times when they traded shots from across the net as kids in California, then on practice courts all around the world. It’s also the soonest the sisters have played each other at any Grand Slam since their very first tour match, all the way back at the 1998 Australian Open. Venus won that one. But since then, it’s been the younger Serena who has grown dominant, leading the series 17-12, including 10-5 at majors.

The reason this match comes so early is that their rankings are not what they’ve been in the past. Serena is No 26, playing in only the seventh tournament since she was off the tour for more than a year while having a baby. Even though the US Tennis Association bumped her seeding up to reflect her past success, it still placed her at No 17. Venus, meanwhile is No 16.

Other winners on the women’s side included defending champion Sloane Stephens, in a tight three-setter, as well No 7 seed Elina Svitolina and eighth seed Karolina Pliskova. Ninth seed Julia Georges and 12th seed Garbine Muguruza both crashed out.