Serena holds off Mladenovic to reach Wimbledon fourth round
LONDON, Great Britain - Serena Williams' winning streak at Wimbledon reached 17 matches on Friday, as the seven-time champion marched into the second week with a 7-5, 7-6(2) victory over France's Kristina Mladenovic.
The former World No.1 was pushed by France's No.2 - who was a Top 10 seed at the All-England Club a year ago - as she needed to win three straight games from a break down in the opening set.
"I just feel like, 'Okay, I have nothing to lose at this point. I want to try harder.' I think to myself, 'Is this the best that I can do? Can I do more? Lot of things go through my brain.' Sometimes other things go through my brain. I just keep going," Williams told reporters after the match.
"I don't have anything to lose. I have absolutely nothing to prove. Yeah, everything is a bonus. Every time I step out there, I know what I'm capable of. I know every Grand Slam, I've won 'em, I'm capable of just going out there and enjoying it."
The 23-time major champion hammered 13 aces in the match - four more than her entire total in her first two matches combined - as she hammered home back-to-back aces to win the match.
Despite dropping serve twice, the American broke the World No.62 three times overall for the win in an hour and 49 minutes.
As it happened: Serena soars to return to second week at Wimbledon
Mladenovic stopped Williams from breaking a fourth time as she saved a match point in the 12th game - capping a lengthy rally with a bold forehand winner - but was unable to battle back after losing the first four points of the tiebreak.
"I think it was a really high quality match. Honestly, I felt good out there from the first moment. I think I showed great tennis. I think I pushed her to her limits really," Mladenovic assessed in defeat.
"She responded amazingly. I mean, there is not much I can say or regret or be too difficult on myself, honestly, on all departments in my game really. I served good from the first point to the last, going for my shots, also the returns.
"I thought that it was a really intense match from the first minute to the last. She was really aggressive with not much errors. I mean, it's kind of -- Serena, when you know she's on and she really wants it, she doesn't give you much. She's really aggressive. Honestly, even in that first set where I was in front, there is not much I can regret."
The win for the American sets up a match between the two remaining mothers in the women's singles draw, as qualifier Evengiya Rodina awaits in the round of 16.
The 29-year-old Russian, mother to 5-year-old Anna and one of six who began the tournament alongside Williams, stunned No.10 seed Madison Keys in three sets to win her sixth match of the Championships earlier on Friday.