The 2017 tennis season has been the year of the comeback. The unexpected late-career revivals of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who have won all three of this year's majors, have them on a collision course in Flushing Meadows. Less celebrated, but maybe more impressive, have been the inspiring stories of Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova, who will meet in the U.S. Open quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Like Federer and Nadal, Williams is improving at an unlikely moment. At age 37, Williams—who beat Carla Suarez Navarro in three sets Sunday—has been more consistent in Grand Slams this year than any other woman.