Serena Williams began her pursuit of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title with a dominant 7-5 6-3 win over fellow American Kristie Ahn.
The 38-year-old went a break down in both sets but recovered to win in an hour and a half as she chases Margaret Court’s Grand Slam tally. Williams gathered momentum late on, winning four straight games against the world number 96 in the second set.
“I was really happy with how I fought for every point,” she said.
“No matter how I was playing, I just had to get my Serena focus back so that was what I was working on today.”
With six of the world’s top 10 absent from the women’s draw because of the coronavirus pandemic, Serena Williams has a prime opportunity to claim the 24th title she has been chasing since her last win at the 2017 Australian Open.
The third seed will face world number 117 Margarita Gasparyan of Russia in the second round, with the trickier challenge of compatriot Sloane Stephens possibly awaiting her after that.
Williams had to overcome some inconsistencies, gifting Ahn two breaks of serve, but brushed aside the suggestion that the lack of fans on Arthur Ashe Stadium had affected her level of play.
“It’s quiet,” she said. “It’s such a good stadium. It’s a Grand Slam and I think I’m still as passionate and intense out there.
“I love my job. I love what I do. You can’t do it forever even though I’ve kind of been doing it just over forever. One of these days it’s going to end and I love being out here.”
Meanwhile, Andy Murray staged a stunning comeback against Yoshihito Nishioka in the US Open first round on his long-awaited return to Grand Slam singles tennis.
The 33-year-old came from two sets and a break down against the Japanese to win 4-6 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
The Briton, whose last major singles match was at the 2019 Australian Open before career-saving hip surgery, started flat and dispirited.
But he found his fight and saved a match point to set up an epic win.
“I’m tired. My toes are the worst part I think,” said Murray, who had treatment on his toes at the start of the fifth set. “The big toes on both sides are pretty beat up. I did alright physically.
“At the beginning of the match I was apprehensive about playing a long match because I hadn’t played one in a while.
“I was sort of pacing myself. Once I got two sets down I had to start putting the after-burners on and managed to get through.”
Andy Murray, who eventually claimed victory in four hours 39 minutes, will face Canadian 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round. He is the first player to return to singles after a hip re-surfacing operation, where the femur head is capped with metal and put into an artificial socket.
