IT’S VENUS v SERENA, AGAIN!

SERENA and Venus Williams will go head-to-head for the 30th time today after booking their spots in the third round of the US Open. Venus defeated Camila Giorgi 6-4 7-5 before Serena saw off Carina Witthoeft 6-2 6-2 in the night session. It will be the 16th time Venus and Serena have met at a slam, but the earliest stage of a tournament since their very first match in the second round of the Australian Open 20 years ago. Their last slam clash was in the final of the Australian Open in 2017, when Serena was in the early stages of pregnancy. ‘The last time we played at the Australian Open it was two against one, so at least this time it will be fair,’ Venus said. Venus won their most recent meeting at Indian Wells in March during Serena’s first tournament back, but the 36-year-old showed how much sharper she has got since then. The Wimbledon finalist said: ‘We would have rather met later but we’re both going to come out per usual and do our best. ‘We make each other better. We bring out the best when we play each other.’ Another blockbuster clash will see defending champion Sloane Stephens take on former world number one Victoria Azarenka, who has found her form in New York. The Belarusian is playing at Flushing Meadows for the first time in three years, having missed 2015 while she was pregnant with son Leo and then last year because of a custody dispute that limited her travel. Stephens is defending a grand slam title for the first time and had to battle through her nerves and past qualifier Anhelina Kalinina, finding herself a set down and two games from defeat before winning 4-6 7-5 6-2.