Serena Williams posted her easiest victory yet at this US Open, showing no ill effects from a lingering thumb injury to beat French No. 10 Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday and reach the quarter-finals.
"I'm definitely better than I was in my first match," Williams said.
A few hours later, with her younger sister watching from a private box, Venus Williams kept the pressure on No. 5 Ana Ivanovic and beat the Serbian teen 6-4, 6-2.
Through four rounds, the Williams sisters -- both two-time US Open champions -- have won every set. That kept them on track for a family reunion in the semi-finals.
"We have one more step," Venus said.
Seeded 12th, she frustrated Ivanovic and let the 19-year-old beat herself.
Ivanovic won only two points at the net and missed several more. After putting a shot into the mesh, she kicked the ball over the net and later slammed her racket.
Next up, Venus will play No. 3 Jelena Jankovic, who defeated No. 19 Sybille Bammer 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, while for Serena, it's a familiar matchup. She will face No. 1 Justine Henin in the quarter-finals at a third consecutive major, having lost to her at the French Open and Wimbledon.
"Yeah, we know each other pretty well," Henin said after beating No. 15 Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-2 at night. "I know everyone was waiting for that match, and here we are."
The day's biggest surprise came in the final match, when 88th-ranked Ernests Gulbis of Latvia easily ousted No. 8 seed Tommy Robredo 6-1, 6-3, 6-2. Gulbis, who turned 19 on Thursday and is the lowest-ranked man left in the draw, came to New York having lost in the first round at 10 of his 11 tournaments this year.
Men's matches on Sunday were in the third round, and No. 2 Rafael Nadal advanced without a hitch in his step -- his taped-up knees have been bothering him -- or his game, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-1.
Next up for Nadal is a fellow Spaniard, No. 15 David Ferrer, who was one point from defeat before coming back to eliminate 2002 Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 in a match that included a 24-point game.
Nalbandian held a match point while ahead 5-4 in the fifth set with Ferrer serving. But the Argentine dumped a backhand into the net -- and didn't win another game.
"I couldn't nail it down," Nalbandian said. "It's a pity."
Winners included No. 3 Novak Djokovic, No. 17 Carlos Moya, No. 20 Juan Ignacio Chela, No. 23 Juan Monaco and unseeded Stanislas Wawrinka.
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