VENUS RISES INTO ROUND THREE.

Playing her first night match of the 2015 US Open ,
two-time champion Venus Williams got the job done against fellow American,
Irina Falconi, taking out her unseeded countrywoman in three tight sets, 6-3,
6-7(2), 6-2.

Williams had a difficult start to her 17th US Open campaign, having been
pushed to three sets by WTA Rising Star Monica Puig in the first round, but
the former No.1 had fewer problems to start on Arthur Ashe Stadium on
Wednesday night. Falconi nonetheless put up a fight; the American veteran is
having her best-ever season at the major tournaments and reached a career-
high ranking of No.69 in June. Down break points for a 1-5 deficit in the
opening set, Falconi clawed her way back to 3-4 before the elder Williams
took care of the first set on serve.
There was little between the two from there; much like on Monday afternoon,
the No.23 seed was broken serving for the match and lost a second straight
second set tie-break to give hope to the native New Yorker.
"[Irina] played a great tiebreaker and produced a lot of great shots," Williams
told Mary Joe Fernandez in the post-match interview.
Though Falconi gave one final push early in the final set, the former No.1 was
one again able to rely on her experience to break twice more and seal a spot
in the third round for the second year in a row.
"In the third set I felt like I had a lot more clarity, and I had the crowd behind
me!" she said, thanking the stadium crowd for their raucous enthusiasm
during the tense three-set affair.
Next up for Williams is No.12 seed and WTA Rising Star Belinda Bencic , who
fought through a tough match of her own against Misaki Doi - saving three
match points in a row to win, 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-3. Though she has never lost to
the young Swiss, the American made it clear that, at this stage of her career,
she takes little for granted.
"It's been wonderful to have such a long career; it's been a real blessing. I
love what I do, and I try to do it well. I hope it's entertaining!