New York - Champion Serena Williams booked her place in the last 16 at the US Open and settled a score in the process with a 6-3 7-5 victory over Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez on Friday.

The American, chasing her 12th grand-slam title, eased through in 87 minutes and will next play 22nd seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.

When Williams beat Martinez Sanchez at the French Open in May, she labelled her a "cheat" over an incident when the Spaniard claimed she had hit a winner only for television replays to show the ball had bounced off her arm.

The world number 43 gave Williams a brief scare when she grabbed a 3-1 lead in the second set but the American second seed broke back and then repeated the feat in a prolonged 11th game before serving out to love for victory.
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