NEW YORK -- The old notion of Williams-vs.-Williams tennis matches as tepid affairs of impaired quality seemed to grow thoroughly outdated Wednesday at just before 11 p.m. New York time when a packed crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium suddenly couldn't help itself.
Physically unable to remain seated after a 16-shot rally in the second-set tiebreaker that epitomized the frantic points of a rousing match, New York bolted to its feet for a long ovation of two young women it has known for a decade, but maybe never quite like this.
Even the oddity of Venus Williams converting zero of 10 set points simply piled more intrigue onto a match that ended with Serena Williams baffled at how she won their U.S. Open quarterfinal by a 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7) score, for turnabout from their Wimbledon final of July.
"I mean, I feel like I should have a trophy now," Serena said. "Unfortunately I don't, and I have to go to the next round," which would be a semifinal with the Russian comer Dinara Safina, ranked No. 7 and still torrid since May after her 6-2, 6-3 afternoon win over Flavia Pennetta of Italy.
In fact, Serena's lack of trophy did seem odd after a match with the distinct air of a final. In a fracas Serena ranked second among their 17 meetings behind a three-set, 2003 Australian Open final, Serena prevailed by adopting the role of escape artist.
Venus served for the first set at 5-4 and for the second set at 5-3. Venus led the first-set tiebreaker, 6-4, and the second-set tiebreaker, 6-3. Venus had three set points in the 5-3 game of the second set, one in the 6-5 game and four during the tiebreaker.
Often, she committed errors, but just as often, Serena proved impenetrable in her groundstrokes so as to wait out those errors. Facing those serial second points, Serena had the thought there absolutely would be a third set, so she'd probably have to change her dress. Serving at 40-love in the 5-3 game of the second set, Venus had the inkling those should've been match points.
"I'm a very good closer, so today was, you know, I've never had a match like this in my life," Venus said. "I guess there's always a first."
Still, when she finally hit a second straight forehand error long, challenged the call unsuccessfully and lost the match, she approached her sister with a smile -- "She's the only player whom I care about, like, what happens after, if I win or lose," Venus said -- and Serena approached Venus with just a bit of a frown. They shook hands, and the crowd, having seen a five-deuce game at 6-5 in the second set, plus that tiebreaker, plus late rallies of 13 shots, 16, 19 and 22, roared again.
