Just a little first pump, a giant dance, and an enormous smile. It was yet one more first spherical win on the US Open for Serena Williams, however it was removed from simply one other first spherical win on the US Open for Serena Williams. Forward of her impending retirement from the game that she has revolutionized, Williams opened what is probably going her remaining occasion ever with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Danka Kovinic.
Williams will face No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit within the second spherical Wednesday.
In a match of this magnitude, it was simple to make a lot of each level, of each recreation. When Williams discovered herself dealing with two break factors within the opening recreation, it should have been the nerves. When she clawed again to win that recreation and the subsequent, the stage should have been too large for Kovinic. However then Kovinic gained three straight video games. Had the one participant within the WTA rankings from Montenegro settled in? Have been we about to embark on a rollercoaster of shaky nerves and, at occasions, shakier tennis?
In fact, there have been no conclusions to be drawn from these early video games. There by no means are. As a substitute, Williams settled in. She broke Kovinic again in a prolonged sixth recreation to get again on serve at 3-3, and when given an inch, she took a mile, holding serve at like to take a 4-3 lead after which breaking Kovinic at like to get a recreation away from a primary set win.
That recreation did not come simply. Williams staved off 4 break factors and at last got here out on prime with an enormous serve. Williams reacted with an emphatic fist pump because the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd erupted.
It was removed from an ideal set for Williams, however the grit and composure she confirmed in essential moments was the distinction: She saved eight of 10 break factors towards her and transformed three of 5 break factors towards Kovinic. The power to win whereas far out of your greatest is significant, and Williams, within the largest first-round match of her profession, confirmed she completely nonetheless has it. The visceral response was for good purpose, too: She entered the night time 98-3 at US Open after successful the primary set.
After Williams lastly discovered her serve, it turned 99-3 in easy trend. Within the second set, Williams dedicated only one double fault (she had 5 within the first set). Williams put 79% of her first serves in and gained 93% of these factors, up from 61% and 68%, respectively, within the first set. She didn’t face a single break level and gained 16 of 19 service factors general. It was whole domination and a convincing technique to end a magical night time.
She’s now 21-0 in first spherical matches on the US Open.
In her first-person farewell essay in Vogue in early August, Williams wrote, “Sadly I wasn’t able to win Wimbledon this 12 months. And I do not know if I will probably be able to win New York.” One match in, she’s actually extra prepared than she was at Wimbledon, however there’s nonetheless an extended, lengthy technique to go. She is going to both go away Queens together with her seventh US Open title – a quantity that might break her tie with Chris Evert for many within the Open Period, man or girl – or she will not. The chances are overwhelmingly within the favor of the latter, however she has by no means cared about odds, and he or she actually will not begin now.
However Monday night time wasn’t about that.
No matter whether or not her time in Flushing lasts two extra weeks or two extra days, she’s going to exit combating with each ounce of power she has. She’ll battle her opponent throughout the web, the feelings accompanying her remaining event, the psychological and bodily fatigue of a Grand Slam and the truth that she’s doing all of it as a 40-year-old greater than a quarter-century into her skilled tennis profession.
Typically, the great thing about sport is that there can solely be one winner. However this time, in terms of this participant at this event, the wonder is within the battle. The perseverance and the braveness to attempt to overcome all of the components working towards her. Williams actually wanted it throughout her rocky begin, and we must always contemplate ourselves fortunate that we get to observe it, possible for the final time.
For therefore lengthy, we took Williams’ greatness as a right. She gained her first Slam in 1999 and her most up-to-date in 2017. We thought it will by no means finish, as a result of for therefore lengthy, it appeared that method. The top usually comes slowly after which unexpectedly.
And now, Serena Williams’ greatness is a distinct kind of greatness. The greatness to compete, even when the chances are lengthy, the preparation troublesome, the top close to. A greatness we ought to understand in all its glory.
Monday night time supplied precisely that.
