Empty feeling fine by Serena

SERENA Williams’ protracted pursuit of Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles resumes at a US Open that promises to be unlike any other.

The absence of fans because of coronavirus concerns means the buzz and hubbub that define the event will be missing.

Williams, whose 23 major victories are an Open-era record, will have nothing but her own skill and will to get her through the tough moments as she seeks a record-breaking seventh title on the hard courts at Flushing Meadows.

“I don’t dislike it and that’s weird because I am a player that is so emotional and so, like, a crowd player,” Williams said upon returning to action after the WTA’s coronavirus shutdown. “Reminds me of the junior days. There is something nostalgic about that.”

Playing in a virtually empty Ashe stadium, which seats more than 23,000, could be another story.

“Playing in New York is going to be interesting because the stadium is huge,” Williams said. “But I do practise in empty stadiums, so I have played in New York on Arthur Ashe Stadium when it was empty and it was great. I guess I have to kind of lean on that.”

It has been more than three years since Williams won her 23rd grand slam title, at the 2017 Australian Open — when she was already pregnant with

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic rallied to defeat Canada’s Milos Raonic 1-6 6-3 6-4 in Saturday’s ATP Western & Southern Open final, remaining unbeaten this year only two days before his first US Open match.

The 33-year-old Serbian star won his 80th title, improving to 23-0 this year and 11-0 all time against Raonic, while capturing his 35th ATP Masters Series crown, matching Rafael Nadal’s all-time record.

In the women’s decider, two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka won the WTA title by walkover when Japan’s Naomi Osaka withdrew from the final with a left hamstring injury.

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daughter Olympia. She’s come close since, reaching four major finals.

“I’ve been stuck,” said Williams, who seems to have grown weary of the questions about Court’s record, if not the chase itself.

Even if she reaches the milestone, she said, it would provide no sort of punctuation mark.

“I’m never satisfied, that’s the story of my career,” Williams said. “I’ll never be satisfied until I retire, that’s just my personality.”