Venus Williams eases into last eight at US Open

Venus Williams has secured her place in the quarter-finals of the US Open with a comfortable straight-sets victory over Anett Kontaveit.

Kontaveit had started brightly at Arthur Ashe Stadium, holding her first service game, but a succession of unforced errors in the fourth game allowed Williams to open up a 3-1 lead.

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The Estonian looked to be forcing her American opponent to serve out for the set, but a backhand winner from the two-time champion helped Williams to take the opener 6-2.

The former world number one then stormed into a 5-0 lead and, despite Kontaveit managing to hold her serve in the sixth game, the 35-year-old wrapped up victory in under an hour.

It means that Venus could meet sister Serena Williams in the quarter-finals, if she can beat fellow American Madison Keys in the last 16.