Murray ticks speed gun, Serena record

NEW YORK: The US Open’s serve-speed readout board told the world that Andy Murray smacked a serve at 141 mph. He had his doubts. “Sometimes,” Murray said, “the gun

NEW YORK: The US Open’s serve-speed readout board told the world that Andy Murray smacked a serve at 141 mph. He had his doubts. “Sometimes,” Murray said, “the gun can be a bit wrong, possibly.”

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Taking 9 of 10 games at the outset, Murray overwhelmed Grigor Dimitrov 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 on Monday night to reach the quarterfinals for the 22nd time in his past 23 Grand Slam tournaments.

“I didn’t give him an opportunity, once I was ahead, to let him back in the match,” the No 2 seed said.

A big part of the way he took control - and remained in control was his serving. “I served a bunch in the low 130s, mid-130s, which was good. I got a lot of free points with my serve tonight,” Murray said. “The conditions do a lot for you to serve quick. The balls are fast. I wanted to use that to my advantage as the tournament goes on. I did go up in (racket string) tension a little bit from the last match. Maybe that allowed me to feel like I was able to swing a little bit harder.” As for the evening’s fastest serve, which Murray said would be the first time he’s topped 140 mph: “I think that was lucky. I only did it once. So I’m not expecting to do it again.” The 2012 champion at Flushing Meadows will face No. 6 Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals Wednesday; the other match-up on their side of the draw is No. 3 Stan Wawrinka vs. 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro. Murray beat Nishikori in the semi-finals at Rio.

SERENA’S RECORD

Serena Williams stormed into the quarter-finals in record-smashing style by easing past Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova 6-2 6-3 to claim her record 308th grand slam match win. The world number one needed just 68 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium court to overwhelm the 52nd ranked Shvedova and surpass Roger Federer on the all-time list of matches won at tennis’s four blue riband events.

“Oh wow, it is really exciting, this is where it all started so it is always so magical out here for me but 308 sounds pretty good,” Williams said after moving a step closer to a record seventh U.S. Open title.

“I just think winning 308 matches in general is pretty awesome. For that to be in a grand slam is pretty cool.”

PLISKOVA RISES

Venus Williams went from down and out to a point from victory, then back again. In the end, she couldn’t quite get past a woman a dozen years younger and never before at this stage of a Grand Slam tournament.

Williams failed to convert a match point and lost 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) to 10th-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the fourth round of the U.S. Open on Monday, despite vociferous support from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd down the stretch.

Pliskova leads the tour in aces in 2016 and produced eight in this match.