Murray back from the brink

New York, Sept. 2: Serena Williams’ quest for a record- equalling 24th Grand Slam got off the mark as Andy Murray rolled back the years with a vintage comeback at the US Open Tuesday.

Six- time winner Williams powered past 96th- ranked Kristie Ahn after Murray came from two sets down to win a five- set thriller in his first singles Slam match in 18 months.

The pair both progressed to the second round on day two of a US Open that is unrecognisable from previous tournaments, without spectators and with stringent measures to prevent Covid- 19 infections.

Williams defeated Ahn 75, 6- 3 as she started the latest bid of her protracted pursuit to match Margaret Court’s Grand Slam title with a straightsets win.

The 38- year- old overcame the loss of her first service game in the opening set to advance at a virtually empty Arthur Ashe Stadium, where artwork

by black artists is displayed in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement against racial injustice.

Meanwhile, world number one Ashleigh Barty, the second- ranked Simona Halep and Canadian Bianca

Andreescu — who stunned Williams in last year’s final — are all absent from the behindcloseddoors tournament.

A title win for Williams would also see her become the most decorated women’s player at the US Open in the modern era.

She is currently tied with Chris Evert on six.

Murray secured a stunning 4- 6, 4- 6, 7- 6 ( 7/ 5), 7- 6 ( 7/ 4), 6- 4 come- frombehind victory in a bruising 4 hr and 39 min encounter against Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.

The Scotsman, who who has barely played in 2020, said he had learnt a lot about his physical condition and the metal hip he received during surgery last year. “I’ve just played a four- and- a- half hour match when I never thought I’d be able to,” he told reporters.

Tenth seed Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 French Open champion, advanced to round two with a 6- 4, 6- 4 victory over Japan’s Nao Havino.

Also in the women’s draw, second seed American Sofia Kenin needed just over an hour to score a 6- 2, 6- 2 win over unseeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer. And ninth seed Johanna Konta beat compatriot Heather Watson 7- 6 ( 9/ 7), 6- 1 in a tie dubbed the “Battle of Britain.” —