News Digest

Serena plays it cool after fighting back to keep Grand Slam bid alive

Serena Williams insists she “isn’t nervous at all” as she seeks a historic calendar Grand Slam at the US Open. Top-ranked Williams struggled early but revived in time for a victory Friday over 101st-ranked US compatriot Bethanie Mattek-Sands to reach the fourth round on the New York hardcourts. The 33-year-old American’s quest to achieve the first calendar Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 and win a 22nd career Slam singles title to match Graf’s Open Era record has drawn huge attention, but supposedly resonates much less with the history chaser herself.

“I wasn’t nervous at all. I mean, I don’t have to win this event.

Serena Williams.

Meanwhile a defiant Rafael Nadal vowed to fight on and restore his status as the game’s most feared player after crashing to his earliest US Open exit in 10 years.The 14-time Grand Slam winner was knocked out by Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who pulled off a sensational 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 third-round victory.The stunning result confirmed the sad, sudden decline of the 2010 and 2013 champion, who until Friday had won 151 Grand Slam matches when he had taken the first two sets. Nadal will also finish the season without at least one Grand Slam title for the first time since 2004.

I have to accept that it was not my year and keep fighting till the end of the season to finish in a positive way for me.

Rafael Nadal.