There must have been something good in the milk at the Kirilenko household.
While Andre, the older brother, is an NBA All-Star, his younger sister Maria is no slouch herself. With the type of size (5'8 128) one would expect from the sibling of a basketball player, Maria has quietly become one of the best female tennis players in the world.
The No. 14 seed in the U.S. Open draw, she had no trouble with Greta Arn of Germany in their second round match on Thursday, advancing in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
She could be an interesting test for Florida resident Serena Williams, as the two are currently in line to meet in the fourth round. Serena would almost certainly still be the favorite, since Kirilenko has never advanced farther than the quarters in a major tournament.
For more coverage of the American contingent at Flushing Meadows, stay tuned to the SB Nation Tampa Bay StoryStream as well as SB Nation's tennis news hub.