VENUS WILLIAMS HAS exited the US Open 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 after an epic three-hour battle with world number 56 Zheng Jie.
Williams, champion at Flushing Meadow in 2000 and 2001, had an uncomfortable first set where 15 unforced errors and a poor service game allowed her opponent to break her twice and take the opening set.
The American, former world number one came roaring back in the second set and she rolled back the years to send the game into a third set.
The third set was a real battle as Zheng took a 3-0 and 4-1 lead before Williams fought back to take the game to a last set tie-breaker. Unfortunately the home-crowd favourite could not maintain her momentum and a wide backhand gave Zheng a victory and a place in the third round against Carla Suarez Navarro.
Meanwhile defending men’s champion Andy Murray brushed past Michael Llodra in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 in just over an hour and a half late last night. The Scot, number 3 seed for the tournament, will face Argentine Leonardo Mayer in the next round.
