Serena Williams has taken her first step toward a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam title, defeating Kristie Ahn 7-5 6-2 in the first round of the US Open.
Williams got off to a slow start, showing signs of nervousness early in the first set, but kicked her game into high gear during in the second, firing off 13 aces and 28 winners during the match and harnessing her powerful return to keep her opponent on the run.
A final serve forced Ahn into an error, handing Williams her 102nd US Open match victory, as she scored her first straight-sets win since the sport was put on a coronavirus hiatus.
"I was really happy with how I just fought for every point," Williams says.
She had to regain her focus, and "just be Serena and close it out".
Sister Venus Williams wasn't as fortunate, falling at the first hurdle against Karolina Muchova.
Muchova took advantage of an error-prone Williams to advance 6-3 7-5 into the second round of the U.S. Open, and hand the two-time champion her first opening-round loss at the tournament.
Meanwhile, Spain's Garbine Muguruza looks determined to snap her US Open jinx, overcoming a sluggish start to collect a snappy 6-4 6-4 first round win over Japan's Nao Hibino.
The US Open has been a black hole for the former French Open and Wimbledon champion, who nearly added to her collection of Grand Slam trophies, reaching the final in Australia this year.
In stark contrast to her success at the other Slams, Muguruza has struggled to make an impact on the New York hardcourts, progressing past the second round just once in seven previous visits.
The US Open is the only Grand Slam where the 26-year-old has yet to at least reach the last eight.
"I was anxious a little bit, because I did not play in the last six months and did not have a chance to play before the US Open to get ready for here," says Muguruza. "I am happy with my performance.
"I was expecting a tough match and it was. I miss a little bit the competition."
Falling behind 4-1 in the opening set, the 10th-seeded Spaniard looked nothing like the player who reached the quarter-finals or better in all five events she had entered before the COVID-19 shutdown.
After not playing a competitive match since February, Muguruza had plenty of rust to shake off, but she did that in a hurry, winning seven straight games from her 78th-ranked opponent to take the opening set and a 2-0 lead in the second.
Even when Muguruza had the match in control, there were concerning signs about her lack of fitness. A long exchange on match-point left the Spaniard gasping for breath as she slumped into her seat.
"I think she was playing very good at the beginning and I started a little bit slow for how well she was playing," says Muguruza.
"I started to feel better, my game came with the flow and rhythm of the match, and I managed to play at the end pretty good."
Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin produced a dominant display to dispatch Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-2 6-2 in the opening round.
American Kenin finished with 33 winners to just 15 unforced errors, saving all five break points she faced.
Having lost her first match back following the COVID-19 hiatus at the Western and Southern Open last week, Kenin was happy to get back to winning ways with an authoritative display.
"I knew I could dominate her," world number four Kenin said. "Today I felt like I couldn't miss a ball. I played really good tennis and I'm proud of myself."
Kenin, who won her maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne in February, broke her opponent in the first game to set the tone for the match.
Wickmayer, the 2009 semi-finalist in New York, held three break points to draw level at 2-2 but second seed Kenin fended off each of those with a string of booming forehands.
The 21-year-old Kenin broke once more to take control of the match before holding to love to take the opening set in just 37 minutes.
Kenin started the second set just like the first to take an early lead as Wickmayer increasingly struggled with her service rhythm.
The Belgian dished out two double faults, allowing Kenin to convert her fourth break point opportunity of the match on her way to a convincing victory.
Kenin, the only reigning Grand Slam champion in the women's singles draw after Ash Barty (French Open holder), Simona Halep (Wimbledon) and Bianca Andreescu (US Open) opted out of travelling to New York because of the coronavirus pandemic, is hoping to mount another title charge in New York, where she has never progressed beyond the third round.
"I feel like coming off after winning Aussie, definitely did a lot for my confidence," Kenin said. "I tried to not feel so much pressure, but I just handled the situation really well.
"I feel like I just play my best tennis here. It's unfortunate the fans are not here, but I just try to do the best I can under the circumstances."
The Open is being played without any fans in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed almost 190,000 lives in the United States.
Seventh seed Madison Keys, who finished runner-up in front of her home fans at Flushing Meadows in 2017, booked her spot in the second round with a 6-1 6-1 victory over Hungarian Timea Babos.
Ninth seed Johanna Konta saved six set points in the first set against fellow Briton Heather Watson before pulling away to a 7-6(7) 6-1 victory.
Belgium's 16th-seeded Elise Mertens converted all her four break-point opportunities in a clinical display to beat German Laura Siegemund 6-2 6-2.
American Amanda Anisimova, who reached the French Open semi-finals last year, also eased into the second round with a 7-5 7-5 win over Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova.
China's 25th seeded Zhang Shuai has crashed out of the opening round after suffering a shock 4-6 6-3 6-2 defeat by Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure.
Reuters
