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| Victoria Azarenka & Serena Williams |
NEW YORK -- Yanina Wickmayer was serving for the first set when the usually fiery Victoria Azarenka finally got fired up.
A few sweet backhands, followed by an emphatic fist pump, brought her back even, at 5-all, and then the 26-year-old from Belarus averted a tiebreaker with a second straight break. Azarenka went on to win uncomfortably in straight sets Thursday.
Azarenka, still returning to form after a series of injuries, is ranked only No. 20 among WTA players, but she is one of a handful of players lurking in the draw who can seriously threaten Serena Williams' quest for the calendar-year Grand Slam.
Which got us to thinking: Who are the gravest dangers to a perfect 28-0 Slam season, which would constitute professional tennis' first major run of the table in 27 years?
Besides Williams herself, that is.
One potential challenger, Garbine Muguruza, evaporated early Thursday, losing to British qualifier Johanna Konta in three sets. Muguruza beat Williams in the second round of last year's French Open and lost to her in this year's Wimbledon final.
Here are your potential answers, ranked by the degree of difficulty they would pose to Williams.
1. Belinda Bencic:
It happened 19 days ago in the Toronto semifinals, and Bencic overcame a rough start to prevail 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. It was only Serena's second loss of the season and Bencic went on to win the final.
Throw out their other meeting -- a 6-2, 6-1 win by Williams last year in Madrid. Bencic was only 17, and she was getting her first up-close look at a legend. She wasn't exactly intimidated north of the border in her second encounter.
However, Bencic, who plays Venus Williams in the third round, struggled mightily in her last match. She had to fend off three match points and her own emotions against Misaki Doi.
There is a good chance Bencic will face Serena in next Tuesday's quarterfinals.
2. Victoria Azarenka:
One of Serena's biggest weapons is the fear factor she creates, even before she steps on the court.
Azarenka has never been intimidated by Williams. In 2009, at the age of 19, Azarenka beat the world No. 1 in the Miami final. And although the head-to-head is a daunting 17-3 in favor of Williams, that number is deceiving.
In Serena's run of 23 consecutive Grand Slam singles wins this year, only one player has taken her to three sets twice. Yes, Vika, at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Azarenka and Williams would meet only in the final.
3. Samantha Stosur:
Again, the history is instructive.
Four years ago, Slammin' Sammy came out and throttled Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the US Open final. In only her second major final, the Australian pulled an upset of massive proportions.
Stosur pummeled Evgeniya Rodina 6-1, 6-1 on Thursday and is looking strong. And she has a little extra motivation this year.
"She [Williams] kicked me off my practice court yesterday," Stosur said after the match. "A few issues, but it's all right."
Outside of the practice court, Stosur and Serena can cross paths only in the final.
4. Madison Keys:
Like Azarenka, this 20-year-old American is almost too young to fully comprehend how historically great Williams is.
They have met only once -- eight months ago in the semifinals of the Australian Open. Keys was so intimidated, she pushed Williams all the way into a first-set tiebreaker, losing that extra frame by a narrow 7-5.
The big hitter from Rock Island, Illinois, is only a match away from a potential meeting with Serena, in the fourth round. Keys will have to get by the ever-crafty Agnieszka Radwanska in a third-round match Friday.
5. Ekaterina Makarova:
She, too, has a big win over Williams in a big spot.
Three years ago at the Australian Open, the 27-year-old Russian stunned Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the fourth round.
And although Makarova has lost their past three meetings, she won't be fazed by Serena's aura. Last year in Dubai, Makarova lost their first-set tiebreaker 10-8.
The 13th-seeded Makarova has a reasonable shot to see Serena in the semifinals.
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