VENUS, SERENA

One advances at Open, but mum on sister’s kid

and Wimbledon.

“I’ve seen her play. She’s seen me play,” Williams said of Navarro. “It’s not going to be, ‘Oh, my gosh, I need to figure this person’s game out.’ So I know that I have to obviously play a little better than her and see what’s working and go for that.”

Williams maintained that she was all business while Serena gave birth. She is without her typical retinue of family, but Venus insisted her routine has remained the same. She has been in touch with Serena by text message and phone calls.

“I have been spoiled my whole career of having my family surrounding me. I don’t think many players get that opportunity, so I’m, like, more than blessed.”

Serena’s pregnancy has been public knowledge since she revealed it in April. She posted a selfie on Snapchat with the caption “20 weeks.” Later, she confirmed that she and fiancé Alexis Ohanian were expecting their first child.

She learned she was pregnant days before the Australian Open started. To claim her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, Serena beat Venus in the championship.

“We always talk, so she’s always encouraging me,” Venus said. “Yeah, from every step of the way, every match, always.”

There are no emojis exchanged when the sisters talk.

“We actually use the English language, yeah,” Venus said.

Venus, the winner of seven grand slam titles in her career, trained her attention fine-tuning her form again Saturday. She planned on practicing, working out at the gym and stretching. If she can get past Navarro, Garbine Muguruza is the third seed who is looming as Williams looks down the bracket. Due to Muguruza’s making it to the Round of 16, Venus is no longer a possibility to be ranked atop the WTA world. A third U.S. Open title is within reach once more, though. She did not plan on leaving the stage anytime soon.

“You have to have the desire to want to be here and you have to have the health,” she said. “That’s all you need. Yeah, skill. Those three.”