Emma Raducanu may be the defending US Open champion, but the spectators in New York are more focused on Serena Williams – who started her last Grand Slam stand with aplomb last night.
The 40-year-old WTA star defeated Danka Kovinic In straight sets 6-3, 6-3, showing everyone why she is still a force to be reckoned with given her vintage performance.
She’ll look to make the most out of this tournament since she’s still gunning for her record 24th Grand Slam to finally draw level with Margaret Court, although her US Open 2022 odds to achieve such aren’t that promising.
Meanwhile, Simona Halep and Coco Gauff – who are dealing with injuries prior to the start of this tournament – have had contrasting results in the first round.
Read on below as SBOTOP serves you the newest US Open 2022 updates.
Serena Williams opens with a win, tougher test awaits in Round 2
Serena Williams felt at home during her return to the Arthur Ashe Stadium that was filled with more than 29,000 fans – especially with her daughter Olympia cheering her from the stands – but she had a shaky start against Danka Kovinic.
The six-time US Open Titleist lost three of the first four points with two on double faults. But she recovered by stroking two aces to equalise and eventually took the opening game after a fault from Kovinic.
Williams and Kovinic went back and forth in the succeeding games, but the former surged to a 5-3 lead and she was serving for the set point. She closed the set with her impeccable serve and she let out a primal roar to hype the home crowd.
Danka Kovinic threatened to take the succeeding set when she led 2-1, but Williams fought back by using her powerful weapon – the serve – once again to defeat the feisty 27-year-old Montenegrin.
Serena Williams has now won 107 matches in New York, with 102 of them coming from the Arthur Ashe Stadium. She’s slated to take on World No. 2 Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday, who beat out Jaqueline Cristian in the straights sets too.
Simona Halep on the receiving end of an upset
Simona Halep was on a roll prior to the US Open. The two-time Grand Slam champion had won 19 of her previous 22 matches en route to her returning to the Top 10 in the WTA rankings (7th).
But that didn’t matter at all against Daria Snigur, who was making her main draw debut of a Grand Slam after fighting through the qualifiers last week. The 20-year-old outlasted her veteran adversary, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 for her first ever tour-level victory.
Snigur won six of the first eight games to take the first set, but Halep got even by winning 24 of 30 points in all six games during the second set.
In the penultimate third set, Snigur reclaimed control but Halep tried to mount another comeback when she was trailing 5-1. The World No. 7 closed to 4-5, but Snigur showed composure through her solid serve and her winning moment came when Halep’s late backhand found the net.
“I’m very happy,” said Snigur, who was in disbelief after the victory. “I’m very, very, very nervous, but I tried to do my best.”
“It’s very good because I won this match,” she added. “I tried to play for Ukraine, for Ukrainian people because I want to support Ukraine. I want to live in the country after war is finished.”
Daria Snigur will face Rebecca Marino in the second round on Wednesday.
Coco Gauff amazing in the opener
Coco Gauff kicked off her 2022 US Open campaign with a scintillating performance against Leolia Jeanjean in the opening round. After the 6-2, 6-3 rout, Gauff said that she embraces the pressure of being a favourite in this competition.
“Yeah, there’s definitely more expectations on me. People expect you to get over that final hurdle, and that’s something I expect of myself too because I know I feel it in me that I can repeat it and do it again,” said Gauff.
Her serve and ground game were outstanding as she fired eight aces, won 91-per cent of her first-serve points, didn’t face a single break point, and tallied 34 winners compared to her French counterpart’s nine.
The 18-year-old has yet to advance past the third round of the US Open as a singles player. She managed to reach the final in the doubles last year. With Simona Halep’s loss, Gauff is now the highest-ranked player in her part of the bracket, and her road to the final just got a little bit easier.
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