A win over 80th-ranked Kovinic, who is only her second this year, would be a confidence booster for Williams, but her record of equalizing her 24th Grand Slam has now become treacherous.
The Estonian is waiting for second seed Annette Kontaveit, who beat Jacqueline Christiansen 6-3, 6-0.
Williams indicated her intention to retire in a Vogue article in early August, saying she was “getting away from tennis” but never confirmed the US Open as her final event.
For tennis fans, though, the message was clear, the US Open would be where she would take her final bow.
Could there be a repeat?
The former world number one has also ruled out skipping next year’s Australia Open.
But in a strange post-match ceremony celebrating his career that had yet to come to an end, Williams gave a clear yet clear indication that the US Open would indeed be his last tournament and later expanded upon it in his press conference.
“It’s still extremely difficult because I love being out there,” Williams said. “The more tournaments I play, the more I feel like the more I can get out there.
“But it’s time for me, you know, to evolve to the next thing.”
Pressed whether the US Open was certainly her last event, Williams again retreated from the brink.
“I’ve been very vague about it, right,” Williams smiled. “I’m going to remain unclear because you never know.”
A montage of Williams’ career was played before the court appearance that opened the door for a return someday, “If you ever decide to return the Queen your throne will be waiting” the video concluded.
However, a defiant Williams made it clear that she is not giving up that throne just yet.
special energy
Opening night at Flushing Meadows is always ecstatic, but on Monday the stadium brimmed with a special energy when Williams appeared on court in a shimmering black robe and specially designed diamond-studded shoes.
The outfit may have given more shine to the 40-year-old American’s game, but it didn’t matter at the packed Arthur Ashe Stadium as Williams’ fighting edge was sharp, even if his serve and ground stroke were not.
“It’s so important to give your all,” Williams told the loving crowd. “I’ve been down and out in the public eye many times.
“I just want people to be inspired by my story.
“I’m from Compton, California … and I made it.”
There was certainly no more fitting place to wrap up one of tennis’s most extraordinary careers, which has been in its corner from the very beginning, leading up to six US Open crowns.
The moment’s horrors were not lost on the 23,000 fans, including former US President Bill Clinton, designer Vera Wang, director Spike Lee, and others, who expected not to see Arthur Ashe see greatness but to celebrate it.
After being number one in the world for 319 weeks, Williams reached a bottom 600 and unseeded New York.
Even Williams was far from her best as the odds were stacked against the 27-year-old from Montenegro.
Playing in her 21st US Open, Williams never lost in the first round and her win over Kovinick at Flushing Meadows was her 106th.
While Kovinic is enjoying the best Grand Slam season of her career, reaching the third round of both the Australian and French Open, she hasn’t won a match since Roland Garros.
As the game went on, Williams was showing signs of nerves, accumulating double faults as Kovinic went 3-2.
But Williams, as she has at times, lifted her game when needed, sweeping the next four games to snatch the first set.
Now in charge, Williams didn’t let it slip in the second set, going 3-2 up, and with match point and the crowd at their feet, she danced happily as Kovinic’s return hit the net.
No comments:
Post a Comment