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          ICYMI at US Open: Venus looks for a 'fair' battle against Serena; the Mets help Milos Raonic

          Venus Williams is headed to the third round of the US Open for the fifth year in a row after a tough straight-set win over Camila Giorgi on Wednesday. Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports
          • D'Arcy Maine
          Aug 29, 2018, 04:33 PM ET

          NEW YORK -- It was another scorching hot day at the US Open on Wednesday, but even the nearly triple-digit temperature couldn't get in the way of some great tennis. With wins from both Venus and Serena Williams to set up a third-round clash between the sisters to the continued comeback runs of some former Grand Slam champions to the firestorm surrounding the code violation call against Alize Cornet, Day 3 truly had it all.

          Venus Williams won her second-round match against Camila Giorgi, 6-4, 7-5, and did her part in setting up the eagerly anticipated all-Williams' third-round match on Friday. After the match, she was asked about her potential opponent in the next round, and about their previous meeting in a Grand Slam during the 2017 Australian Open final, when Serena was pregnant with her daughter.

          "The last time we played the Australian, it was two-against-one," she said laughing. "So at least this time it will be fair."

          The two will be meeting for their 30th time on tour, with Serena holding a 17-12 lead in the series and Venus winning their most recent meeting (at Indian Wells in March). This will be their earliest meeting at a Grand Slam since the second round at the 1998 Australian Open. So, rest assured, this should be one heck of a match.

          Despite playing in her first US Open since 2015 (due to the birth of her son and a subsequent custody battle), Victoria Azarenka looked like she hadn't missed a step on Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-2 second-round win over No. 25 seed Daria Gavrilova.

          It was all Azarenka from the start -- as she broke Gavrilova's serve twice to take a 3-0 lead in the first set. She had 13 winners on the day, and won the final 10 points of the match to advance to her first third round at a Grand Slam in 2018. She'll next face defending champion Sloane Stephens.

          However, before turning her sights on Stephens, Azarenka made a strong statement about gender inequality, when asked about the current outfit controversies plaguing the WTA Tour -- including Serena Williams' banned catsuit at the French Open and Alize Cornet's code violation for changing her shirt on court.

          "I don't think it's just a problem on the tour," she said. "I think it's a problem in the world, unfortunately. But there is a direction that is -- there is conversations and the direction is going in the right way. We just need to continue to break those barriers.

          "When things and issues like this, it needs to stop at the beginning. It cannot develop anymore. It's enough. You know, the things with the catsuit, I personally don't understand it. No idea what means disrespecting the game playing in the catsuit?

          "There is always a double standard for men and women. But we need to push those barriers. And as players, as representatives of the WTA Tour, I believe we're gonna do the best we can to make sure that we are the most progressive sport and continue to break those boundaries, because it's unacceptable. For me, it's unacceptable.

          "It shouldn't be a conversation. It should not be a conversation. Why? Why there's conversation? What's the disrespect? I don't get it."

          Tell 'em, Vika. Insert flexed-bicep emoji here.

          Azarenka isn't the only player impressing on the comeback trail. Stan Wawrinka is also looking to be in his previous championship form this week. The 2016 US Open champion has struggled for most of the past year with a knee injury, and recovery from surgery to help repair it, but he's finally starting to look fully healthy.

          His ranking plummeted to No. 263 earlier this summer, but he's now No. 101. He knocked off eighth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov in the first round and Ugo Humbert on Wednesday in the second in four sets. He seemed pretty happy with his performance when talking to the media on Wednesday.

          "My level is there," he said. "I'm playing really good tennis. When I'm playing good, for sure, it's -- I'm 33 years old, first time after big surgery that I'm pushing myself that much, but in general, I think I did enough hard work to know and have confidence in my fitness. So we will see."

          And to think, nine days ago, he was swimming in a pool and excited about just getting a wild-card entry.

          Wawrinka will next take on Milos Raonic on Friday. The No. 25 seed cruised into the third round with a victory over Gilles Simon, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, on Tuesday. Sure, it was probably his 17 aces and his ability to break his opponent three times that really sealed the win, but maybe the New York Mets should get some of the credit.

          Over the weekend, the Canadian threw out the first pitch at a Mets game, and even spent some time chatting with players from the team. Clearly that helped loosen his arm up, right?

          OK, so the Mets probably had nothing to do with anything, but I just figured they could use a win however they could get it this season.

          Patty Schnyeder's inspirational comeback ended on Tuesday night with a loss to Maria Sharapova in the first round, but she was clearly still happy about her return to the US Open, and grateful for all the love she felt from fans.

          The 39-year-old retired from competitive tennis in 2011, and had a baby in 2014, but she has spent the past three years trying to find her way back to the Grand Slam stage. She qualified last week for the US Open, and won over a slew of new fans with her incredible story of grit and determination.

          On Wednesday morning, she posted a grateful message on Twitter, thanking everyone -- including Sharapova -- for their support:

          She has arrived now, indeed.

          While it would be impossible for anyone not on site to fully comprehend just how hot it has been these past few days at the US Open -- unless you're currently standing in the middle of a desert -- this picture of Anhelina Kalinina, who lost to Sloane Stephens on Wednesday, might be the best photographic representation you'll see: