Serena Williams has come back from a slow start to beat Sloane Stephens 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the U.S. Open’s third round.

Williams’ victory in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday allowed her to avoid what would have been her earliest exit at Flushing Meadows since she lost in the third round in her tournament debut all the way back in 1998.

Williams was 16 then and had yet to win a Grand Slam title. She turns 39 in three weeks and is pursuing her 24th major championship in singles.

Williams will face Maria Sakkari of Greece in the fourth round.

Meanwhile, Maria Sakkari reached the fourth round at her second consecutive Grand Slam tournament after needing just 55 minutes to eliminate mistake-prone American teen Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-1.

The 22nd-seeded Anisimova, who turned 19 on Monday, finished with 28 unforced errors and just four winners. Sakkari made eight errors.

The 15th-seeded Sakkari entered 2020 with an 0-7 record in third-round matches at major championships.

But she finally won at that stage at the Australian Open in January, then did it again Saturday in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Normally the Grand Slam circuit would head to Paris and London between Melbourne and New York. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the French Open was postponed from May until late September and Wimbledon was canceled for the first time in 75 years.

Sakkari will play Serena Williams or Sloane Stephens next.