Action continued at the 2022 US Open with second-round play from thr bottom half of the women's draw.

Serena Williams kept her hopes of a 24th major title alive with a stirring three-set victory over second seed Anett Kontaveit. Fifth seed Ons Jabeur and Americans Coco Gauff and Madison Keys were also among those victorious.

Third seed Maria Sakkari, 2021 finalist Leylah Fernandez and former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova headlined the upset victims.

Serena stays alive with three-set win over Kontaveit

Before another record crowd for a night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Williams took the opening set in a tiebreaker before Kontaveit stormed back to dominate the second.

After breaks were traded early in the third, the six-time Open champion won four of the final five games to book her spot in the third round against Ajla Tomljanovic.

"I'm just pleased I showed up because the last few tournaments I didn't show up", she said. "But i've been practicing really well and i'm pleased that i'm finally seeing my practice come into my matches, so that's nice."

Gauff, Keys lead American charge

Americans won four five matches on Wednesday, highlighted by 12th seed Gauff, who saw off world number 101 Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-2, 7-6 (3).

She next faces Keys as the 2017 finalist rallied from 5-2 down in the third set to defeat Camila Giorgi 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6).

28th seed Alison Riske-Amritraj also advanced with a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (10-5) victory over Colombia's Camila Osorio in a marathon three hour, ten minute match.

Former US Open quarterfinalist Shelby Rogers also is safely into round three with a straightforward 7-5, 6-1 win over qualifier Viktoria Kuzmova.

Elizabeth Mandlik saw her tournament come to an end as the 21-year old wild card was eliminated by fifth seed Ons Jabeur 7-5, 6-2.

Sakkari, Fernandez, Krejcikova sent packing

Former junior world number one Xiyu Wang ended Sakkari's tournament with a 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory, firing 35 winners to score her first career top ten win.

Fernandez, who thrilled the Flushing Meadows crowd with her run to the final last year, was knocked out by the red-hot Liudmila Samsonova as the Russian picked up her 12th straight win by a 6-3, 7-6 (3) scoreline.

"It was the first time I played on such a big court here at the US Open, it was unbelievable", she said. "Against Leylah, it was so tough today. I think my serve was amazing, so it was the key for me today."

She next plays Aleksandra Krunic as the world number 96 came from a set down to see off 23rd seed Krejcikova 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Also going home early is 15th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, who was upset by 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu 6-2, 6-4.

Other results

Caroline Garcia won her tenth match in a row as the 17th seed defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-1.

18th seed Veronika Kudermetova had little trouble with Maryna Zanevska, routing the Belgian 6-2, 6-3.

Qualifier Daria Snigur, who upset seventh seed Simona Halep in the first round, fell to Rebecca Marino as the Canadian posted a 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory.

Shuai Zhang advanced with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Anna Schmiedlova while Dalma Galfi blew away Harriet Dart 6-4, 6-0 to reach the third round of a major for the first time.

Tomljanovic rallied past Evgeniya Rodina, winning 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 to book a spot opposite Williams.