US Open 2018: Serena Williams To Face Venus, Preferred Facing Her Later

Serena Williams is set to face her sister Venus for the 30th time in their long careers as they will meet in the third round of the US Open.

Serena comfortably won her second round match over Germany's Carina Witthoeft 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday while Venus defeated Italy's Camila Giorgi 6-4, 7-5 earlier in the day. The latter said after her win that she hoped "we get to play."

Her wish was granted as the two sisters will now meet Friday in what is the earliest they will ever meet at any Grand Slam since the 1998 Australian Open. One reason for that is their current rankings.

Serena of course, took a year off from the sport last year for maternity leave but couldn't return with her No. 1 ranking much to the shock of the tennis world. Although her current ranking is No. 26, she was seeded 17th for the US Open, but with Venus seeded 16th, the two are now set to meet for the second time this year after Serena lost to her sister at the BNP Paribas Open in March.

Serena, who currently leads the head-to-head with 17 wins in their 29 meetings, including 10-5 in Grand Slam events, would have preferred to face Venus later in the tournament.

"It is what it is, it's not the end of the world," Serena said after her win. "We would have rather met later but we're both going to come out per usual, do our best, play in front of you guys. Normally, I would say cheer for me but you know, whoever you're feeling, me or Venus, either one will work."

Serena, 36, and Venus, 38, are both legends of the sport. They have won a combined 30 Grand Slams, both were No. 1 in the rankings, and have faced each other in each of the four Grand Slam finals.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, who would lose to Fernando Verdasco in four sets the same day, went on to praise the sisters for their accomplishments as he doesn't see any sibling duo emulating them anytime soon.

"It's incredible what they've done. I mean, amazing, really," Murray said, according to ESPN. "Obviously, there's been other siblings that have had fantastic careers in tennis, but none anywhere close to what they've managed to achieve. I'd be surprised if anything like that ever happens again."

Elsewhere in the women's circuit, defending US Open champion Sloane Stephens set up a third round meeting with former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka after defeating Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Azarenka, playing in her first US Open since 2015 after giving birth to a son the following year, made quick work of Australia's Daria Gavrilova, defeating her 6-1, 6-2.

The likes of Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, Elise Mertens, Anastasija Sevastova and Barbora Strycova also advanced to the third round.