World No 1 Serena Williams makes the cover of The National Sport on Thursday, June 2, 2016 after progressing to the French Open quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Williams reached the last eight at Roland Garros for the 10th time after pulverising 18th seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-1 in just over an hour on Court Philippe Chatrier.
But the American, who next plays Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, faces the challenge of playing four matches in four days in her pursuit of a record-equalling 22nd Open era grand slam title.
“Four in a row? I think for us ... when we play regular tournaments you play four, five matches in a row. It’s what happens,” said Williams.
“In Rome I played four in a row? Five? I don’t know. But, you know, in Miami and Indian Wells you just play every day. It’s something you just get used to. It’s totally fine I think for me and for everyone.”
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic said Wednesday he understood the anger felt by players whose French Open hopes were washed away in the Paris deluge while Ernests Gulbis blasted tennis for looking like a "winter sport".
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