Serena surges through
American launches bid for record 24th title
SERENA Williams (pic) made a triumphant return to the US Open, launching her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam victory with a straight-sets win.
Williams, who counts six US Open titles among her 23 Grand Slams, can match Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 majors with another title at Flushing Meadows.
She missed last year’s edition as she gave birth to daughter Olympia on Sept 1, but showed every indication she’s ready to make up for lost time in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Poland’s Magda Linette.
“I think I’m getting there,” said Williams, who turned up the heat on a steamy New York night that opened with a gala celebration of the US Open’s 50th anniversary.
“I love opening for Serena Williams,” Grammy-winning singer-song writer Kelly Clarkson told the crowd before she launched into her anthem “Stronger”.
The spotlights were still blinking when Williams, in a black outfit featuring asymmetrical sleeves and a tulle skirt, took the court.
The 68th-ranked Linette held her own in the early going, but Williams gained the only break she needed in the first set in the seventh game and rolled from there.
She didn’t face a break point in the 70-minute match, firing 23 winners and wrapping up the second set in less than half an hour.
“I feel pretty good,” Williams said.
“First match of a Grand Slam is always good to get through.”
Williams’ path may have been eased by Kaia Kanepi’s stunning upset of world number one Halep, who became the first top-seeded woman to lose in the first round of the US Open.
While Halep is no longer in her path, Williams could face another early test – a possible third-round clash with 16th-seeded sister Venus.
Venus, a seven-time Slam winner, outlasted another former champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Neither Williams sister was willing to look too far ahead, Venus noting that Halep’s ouster was proof of just how dangerous any opponent can be.
“There are no easy matches,” she said.
“The higher you’re ranked, the more that people come for you. It’s just a chance for them to just hit out.”
Defending champion Sloane Stephens encountered late resistance but held on for a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Russian Evgeniya Rodina.
Stephens, seeded third behind Halep and Caroline Wozniacki, looked to be cruising with a 3-1 lead in the second set.
But unseeded Rodina had other ideas, turning the tables to take a 5-4 lead before Stephens reasserted herself.
“I just tried to stay calm and play my game,” Stephens said.
Elsewhere on the opening day, seventh-seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza advanced with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over China’s Zhang Shuai.
Two-time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka, a former world number one now ranked 80th in the world, defeated Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3, 7-5 to set up a meeting with Australian Daria Gavrilova, who steamrolled Sara Sorribes 6-0, 6-0. — AFP