ESPN 2008 US Open

The Williams sisters keep cruising along while other top women's seeds go crashing out of the U.S. Open.

But it can only continue for one more match.

Venus and Serena posted identical 6-2, 6-1 victories in the third round Saturday. Another win, and they'll face each other in the quarterfinals.

Four of the top 10 women's seeds have lost, including No. 1 Ana Ivanovic. The sisters are the only two former champs still alive.

Venus opened play at Arthur Ashe Stadium by beating No. 27 seed Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine. About five hours later on the same court, Serena defeated 30th-seeded Ai Sugiyama of Japan.

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AP Photo/Charles KrupaVenus Williams has dropped just 11 games in her three U.S. Open matches.

Serena, the No. 4 seed, has lost just 10 games in three straight-set wins. Venus, seeded seventh, has dropped 11.

"I think that definitely the Wimbledon win helped me a lot to change my mentality, to realize not every thing has to be perfect all the time," said Venus, who beat her sister in that final. "That's helped me to, if I don't have a perfect practice, I don't get really upset about the whole tournament."

Julie Coin's magical stay at the Open is over. The world's 188th-ranked player upset Ivanovic on Thursday, but her run ended in the third round with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to fellow Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, the No. 32 seed.

The Williams' results here have been equally dominant, but they're not equally satisfied with how they're playing. Venus sounded more upbeat than her sister.

"I think she's playing really well, and I'm glad she feels like she's playing her best," Serena said. "It's nice to feel like when you're playing your best. Right now I'm not playing my best, but that means I can do so much better."

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Williams came into the net 10 times against Bondarenko and won the point on nine of them. She said she's trying to come in whenever she has the chance, because "that's what I've been taught my whole life."

Except she didn't always do that.

"I was younger, and I didn't listen that well," she said with a laugh. "It was tough. But I'd like to think now that I'm wiser. I'm ready to listen to my coach."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press