Moms matchup: Serena vs Pironkova in US Open quarterfinals

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Moms matchup: Serena vs Pironkova in US Open quarterfinals

2020-09-09 06:08 Last Updated At：07:10

A quick look at the U.S. Open:

LOOKAHEAD TO WEDNESDAY

The battle of all mothers will be waged Wednesday at the U.S. Open when Serena Williams faces unseeded Tsvetana Pironkova for a berth in the semifinals. Williams missed more than a year of competition when she had a daughter in 2017, and has since been seeking a record-tying 24th major title. Pironkova is playing in her first tournament since she took a break of more than three years to have a son. In another women's quarterfinal matchup, No. 16 Elise Mertens will face unseeded Victoria Azarenka, who is also a mother. Azarenka has won nine consecutive matches, including the final in the Western & Southern Open that was played in New York as an in-the-bubble warm-up for the U.S. Open. Two men's quarterfinals are also scheduled. No. 2-seeded Dominic Thiem, a three-time major runner-up, meets first-time Slam quarterfinalist Alex de Minaur, a 21-year-old Australian. No. 3 Daniil Medvedev, last year's Open runner-up, plays No. 10 Andrey Rublev. The path to the men's title is wide open after overwhelming favorite Novak Djokovic was disqualified Sunday for unintentionally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball. Each of the men's quarterfinalists is seeking his first Grand Slam title.

WEDNESDAY’S FORECAST

Mostly cloudy. High of 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius).

TUESDAY’S WEATHER

Sunny. High of 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius).

TUESDAY’S KEY RESULTS

Men’s quarterfinals: No. 5 Alexander Zverev beat No. 27 Borna Coric 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1), 6-3.

Women’s quarterfinals: No. 28 Jennifer Brady beat No. 23 Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-2.

STAT OF THE DAY

46 years — That's how long it has been since a former collegiate player reached the women's final at the Open. Former Cal State Los Angeles star Billie Jean King last did it in 1974, and former UCLA All-American Jennifer Brady will do it if she wins Thursday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“This is the moment where it pays off, all the six months of hard work.” — semifinalist Alexander Zverev, talking about his rigorous training regimen this year.

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Maye throws late TD pass and Patriots' defense roughs up Herbert, Chargers in 16-3 playoff win

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.

Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.

It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.

“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”

Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.

Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.

In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.

“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.

He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.

New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.

“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”

This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.

Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.

“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding onto the ball.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.

“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”

The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.

The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.

After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.

Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.

The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.

Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.

“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.

The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.

With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.

Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.

The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.

Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.

Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.

Chargers: End of season.

Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl