Serena Williams qualified for the second round of the US Open on Monday, which could be the last tournament of her phenomenal career, beating Montenegrin Danka Kovinic (80th in the world) 6-3, 6-3.
“
I always do my best.
And here I feel good.
The public was crazy and really helped me
, ”she commented before leaving the Arthur-Ashe court.
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US Open: men's schedule
US Open: ladies' schedule
In the next round, the 40-year-old American with 23 Grand Slam titles, who now ranks 605th in the WTA, will face world No.2 Anett Kontaveit.
Driven by the public, including Mike Tyson, Martina Navratilova, Lindsey Vonn and Spike Lee, and relying on her powerful serve, the player considered the greatest in history has thus postponed the end of her career.
Because she announced in early August that she would soon retire.
Nothing is official yet but the American Major, which she has won six times, looks like a good way out.
“
The decision was very difficult to make.
It's always hard to quit something you love to do.
But I think it's time and other chapters will open.
It will be Serena 2.0
”, confirmed the player who refuses to use the term “
retirement
”, preferring “
evolution
”.
She served the first point of the match at 7:32 p.m. in New York (23:32 GMT) in front of nearly 24,000 people on the Arthur-Ashe court where she had won her very first Major in 1999.
His entrance on the court was preceded by an animation with images of his New York successes projected on giant screens, with a comment repeating insistently "
queen
" (the queen).
Once again heralded as '
the queen
', she entered the court dressed in a sequined black outfit, her hair styled in a lioness mane, and caused a deafening ovation from the standing crowd.
In the stands, her daughter Olympia dressed like her, and her husband Alexis Ohanian, founder of the social network Reddit.
In front of an audience committed to his cause and even unsportsmanlike to the point of applauding his opponent's faults, Williams managed the entry break to lead 2-0 in the first set.
But Montenegrin won the next three games to lead 3-2.
However, on two double faults, she let Williams back into the game.
The American lined up three games to lead 5-3 and serve to win the first set.
She saved four break points and completed the set with two aces and a service winner.
In the second set, she managed a first break to break away 3-2 then a last one on the last game of the game.
Eliminated in the first round at Wimbledon where she had made a surprise return this summer after a year's absence, Serena Williams offered herself an extra dance in New York.