This was Williams' 62nd fourth-round match at a major tournament.
File Photo: Serena Williams
Melbourne:
Serena Williams returned to the Australian Open quarterfinals by getting past No. 7 seed Aryna Sabalenka in three sets here on Sunday.
The 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory put Williams one step closer to her record-tying 24th Grand Slam title overall and eighth championship at Melbourne Park.
Her most recent major trophy came at the Australian Open in 2017.
This was Williams' 62nd fourth-round match at a major tournament — and Sabalenka's second.
They played a similar brand of powerful tennis but Williams was barely better, stealing the last two games after what had been a 4-1 lead in the final set evaporated.
The 39-year-old American next faces either Simona Halep or Iga Swiatek.
Williams took the opening set 6-4, but Sabalenka broke serve three times in a row in the second to grab it by a 6-2 score.
Williams is trying to get closer to her 24th Grand Slam singles title and eighth at Melbourne Park.
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