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Venus Williams outlasts Ververa Lapchenko to start long day of tennis at Family Circle Cup

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Venus Williams returns to Varvara Lepchenko at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C., Friday, April 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Mic Smith) (The Associated Press)

Isha Price, Venus Williams' sister, braves the cold and off-and-on rain during Williams' match against Varvara Lepchenko at the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C., Friday, April 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Mic Smith) (The Associated Press)

Venus Williams outlasted fellow American Ververa Lapchenko in three sets Friday to start a long day of tennis for the Williams' family at the rain-delayed Family Circle Cup.

Venus was up a set and held a 3-0 lead in the second set before Lapchenko won six of the next seven games to force a third set. Lapchenko led 1-0 before Williams found her game and closed out the set, 6-2. Williams will face 18-year-old Madison Keys later Friday for a spot in the semifinals Saturday.

Top-ranked Serena Williams also must play twice Friday after a 7 1-2 hour rain delay wiped out much of Thursday's schedule. Serena will play Mallory Burdette. If she wins, she'll play either sixth-seeded Lucie Safarova or Sorana Cirstea.