The Williams sisters piled into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday, with elder sibling Venus leading the charge with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 fightback against Italian Camila Giorgi.
Williams, 34, who was diagnosed several years ago with an immune system disorder which can rob her of strength and forced her onto a special diet, recovered nicely after trailing a set and a break to finally book the win.
The 2003 Melbourne runner-up is into the second week of a grand slam for the fist time since 2011 at Wimbledon. She lost in the first round a year ago.
"I always believe in my ability, but sometimes you don't get results for whichever reason,"said the winner of seven majors. "As long as I know that I've got it in me, that's it.
"I've won big, it's not like I haven't done it before. I like to win titles, whether at a smaller event or a big event. That's what I play for.
"It's great to be in the second week. But was the fourth round my goal when I come to these tournaments? No."
Top seed Serena also had to make up ground to overturn the scoreline and defeat Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.
Williams hammered nine aces and 45 winners and broke eight time.
Sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 7-5. "I really had to play my best tennis to beat her. I started well & she started playing better. Winning in two sets is important," said the Pole.
2014 finalist Dominika Cibulkova advanced over Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 6-2 while Spain's Garbine Muguruza beat Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 with the Swiss playing in the third round of a Grand Slam for only the second time in her career.
In the men's draw, Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic reached the fourth round with a defeat of German Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, with the winner producing 22 aces.
Revitalised Venus Williams back in grand slam contention
The Williams sisters piled into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday, with elder sibling Venus leading the charge with a 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 fightback against Italian Camila Giorgi.
Williams, 34, who was diagnosed several years ago with an immune system disorder which can rob her of strength and forced her onto a special diet, recovered nicely after trailing a set and a break to finally book the win.
The 2003 Melbourne runner-up is into the second week of a grand slam for the fist time since 2011 at Wimbledon. She lost in the first round a year ago.
"I always believe in my ability, but sometimes you don't get results for whichever reason,"said the winner of seven majors. "As long as I know that I've got it in me, that's it.
"I've won big, it's not like I haven't done it before. I like to win titles, whether at a smaller event or a big event. That's what I play for.
"It's great to be in the second week. But was the fourth round my goal when I come to these tournaments? No."
Top seed Serena also had to make up ground to overturn the scoreline and defeat Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.
Williams hammered nine aces and 45 winners and broke eight time.
Sixth seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat American Varvara Lepchenko 6-0, 7-5. "I really had to play my best tennis to beat her. I started well & she started playing better. Winning in two sets is important," said the Pole.
2014 finalist Dominika Cibulkova advanced over Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 6-2 while Spain's Garbine Muguruza beat Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 with the Swiss playing in the third round of a Grand Slam for only the second time in her career.
In the men's draw, Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic reached the fourth round with a defeat of German Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, with the winner producing 22 aces.