{"id":1194611,"date":"2022-08-30T10:56:45","date_gmt":"2022-08-30T10:56:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/08\/30\/serena-williams-starts-us-open-farewell-with-a-win\/"},"modified":"2022-08-30T10:56:45","modified_gmt":"2022-08-30T10:56:45","slug":"serena-williams-starts-us-open-farewell-with-a-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/08\/30\/serena-williams-starts-us-open-farewell-with-a-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Serena Williams starts US Open farewell with a win"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Serena Williams, who first won the US Open in 1999, is a six-time champion at Flushing Meadows\/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Serena Williams extended her US Open farewell with a gritty opening win on an entertaining night packed with hope and celebration in New York.<\/p>\n

Williams, who is set to retire after the tournament, won 6-3 6-3 against Montenegro\u2019s Danka Kovinic.<\/p>\n

A near-capacity 25,000 crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium willed on their idol, who responded in typical determined style.<\/p>\n

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Williams, 40, will play Estonian second seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who is one short of Australian Margaret Court\u2019s all-time record, is also playing in the doubles alongside older sister Venus, adding another exciting element to what she hopes will be a long goodbye this fortnight.<\/p>\n

Her first assignment was beating Kovinic, ranked 80th in the world, and there was a thunderous noise when she took the first of three match points to ensure her singles career was not over yet.<\/p>\n

Williams jumped on the spot when Kovinic\u2019s backhand return hit the net, then twirled ecstatically in the centre of the court before blowing kisses to her adoring fans when she had returned to her seat to soak in the occasion.<\/p>\n

On how occasions like this affect her plans, she said: \u201cIt\u2019s extremely difficult still because I absolutely love being out there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more tournaments I play, I feel like the more I can belong out there. That\u2019s a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing the more you do it, the more you can shine.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s time for me, you know, to evolve to the next thing. I think it\u2019s important because there\u2019s so many other things that I want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams thrills crowd on night of celebration<\/h3>\n
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Williams\u2019 announcement about her retirement plans led to a surge in ticket sales and a record 29,402 fans turning up at the opening night session of the tournament<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Williams has long been more than a tennis player and it was a sign of her status \u2013 as an American icon and one of the world\u2019s most recognisable sport stars \u2013 that she announced her retirement in an essay for glossy fashion magazine Vogue.<\/p>\n

Although the former world number one did not use the word retirement itself, preferring to say she was \u201cevolving away\u201d from the sport, there is no mistaking her intention is to end her glittering career this fortnight at her home major.<\/p>\n

Suitably, for what could have been her final match, it was a night of celebrity and glamour.<\/p>\n

Williams \u2013 wearing a glittery, figure skating-inspired dress and diamond-encrusted trainers to add further theatre to the occasion \u2013 unsurprisingly arrived on court to a rapturous reception, moments after the stadium watched a video montage in celebration of what she has achieved as a player and a person.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I walked out, the reception was really overwhelming. It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. It was a really good feeling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a feeling I\u2019ll never forget. It meant a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kovinic had already come out to court, leaving her with a long \u2013 and what must have been a nervous \u2013 wait next to her chair.<\/p>\n

Film director Spike Lee, who called Williams his \u201clittle sister\u201d in a video released earlier on Monday, took part in the coin toss, while Vogue editor Anna Wintour, another close personal friend, was sat in her support box behind the player\u2019s family.<\/p>\n

Other famous faces picked out by the stadium cameras included former US President Bill Clinton, soul singer Gladys Knight, boxer Mike Tyson and model Bella Hadid.<\/p>\n

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Williams\u2019 daughter Olympia, wearing white beads in her hair in a tribute to her mum\u2019s style when she won the 1999 US Open, sat on the front row, alongside her dad Alexis and in front of grandmother Oracene.<\/p>\n

The entire family jumped to their feet when Williams clinched a victory which will long live in the memory for those who saw it.<\/p>\n

But it was not over quite yet. Television host Gayle King came out on to the court to lead another celebration, firstly joined at the microphone by Billie Jean King \u2013 another pioneering American tennis legend, who paid a warm tribute \u2013 and then Williams herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t expect any of this,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI always have to do the best that I can. I have always felt so comfortable here.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe crowd was crazy! It really helped pull me through. I was really pumped. I thought \u2018I got this\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Outside Ashe there was a huge buzz before Williams\u2019 match with many fans wearing Serena T-shirts and saying they had only bought tickets following the announcement of her impending retirement earlier this month
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How far can Williams go?<\/h3>\n

After all the fanfare, the serious business of the tennis began and Williams showed all of her competitive nature in a match that lacked quality for most parts.<\/p>\n

Both players looked overawed by the occasion, producing lots of double faults and unforced errors in a scratchy first set, before Williams eventually took control.<\/p>\n

There had been doubts about what condition she would be in, having struggled with a knee injury before being thrashed by British number one Emma Raducanu in Cincinnati.<\/p>\n

Williams, now ranked 413th in the world, started positively as she moved into a 2-0 lead before Kovinic fought back for a 3-2 advantage to dampen the mood on Ashe.<\/p>\n

But the American won the final four games to clinch the opening set and spark more jubilant scenes.<\/p>\n

The second set ominously started with Kovinic hitting another double fault and although she recovered to hold, Williams continued to put her serve under pressure.<\/p>\n

Once Williams broke for a 3-2 lead, it did not feel like she would surrender the lead. As she headed towards victory, the veteran was moving well, hitting well and showed plenty of quality.<\/p>\n

Now there will be another night of intrigue when she comes up against Kontaveit.<\/p>\n

The Estonian is ranked second in the world and, even though she has not lived up to that status this year, losing to Williams would send seismic shockwaves throughout the sport.<\/p>\n

It would also increase the hope of some American fans who are dreaming \u2013 more through emotional nostalgia than reasoned judgment \u2013 that their idol can somehow win that elusive 24th major and bow out spectacularly by equalling Court\u2019s all-time record.<\/p>\n

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At the end of the match, the crowd held up placards to spell out a message telling Williams they loved her
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