What is her most memorable memory from the evening?
“When I walked out, the reception was absolutely overwhelming. He was unmatched by any other player of his time.
“It’s a feeling I’ll never forget,” she added. “Yeah, it meant a lot to me.”
The opening match against Kovinic, the 27-year-old from Montenegro, ranked 80th, was an event with a capital ‘E’. Spike Lee participates in the coin toss before the game. Former President Bill Clinton was in the stands. So did Mike Tyson and Martina Navratilova sitting next to each other. Sitting with her dad and grandma was Williams’ daughter, Olympia, who turned 5 on Thursday and, in 1999, when she was 17 and won her first U.S. Open, her hair was just like her mom’s. was wearing white beads.
Williams, now 40, told the world three weeks ago via an essay in Vogue that she was ready to commit to having a second child and a venture capital firm.
Asked after Monday’s win if this would be the final tournament, Williams responded with a knowing smile.
She then added: “You never know, so I remain vague.”
The night session drew 29,000 people, a tournament record. Over 23,000 were in Ash. Thousands more watched on video screens outside the arena, and the venue was still noisy. Certainly louder than any other first-round match I can remember.
Both players called the decibel level “crazy”.
Initially, Williams was not at his best. Maybe it was the importance of the moment. I had a double fault. Other missed strokes, missed opportunities. She won her 2-0, but she soon trailed 3-2. Then suddenly, Williams looked like she had been a champion for decades, returning to action in late June after being off the tour for nearly a year with a 1-3 record. It doesn’t look like the players who participated.
“At the moment, I honestly feel like everything is a bonus,” Williams said. “It’s been great to have this under my belt… I’m not thinking about it. I’m just thinking about the moment. Just living in the moment.” I think it’s good.”
She rolled to the end of that first set and capped it off with a service winner who responded with a clenched fist and her trademark yell of “Come on!” The 1 hour and 40 minute contest ended as if we had just won another trophy.
Instead, we have a lot of work to do. Williams will play second-seeded Annette Kontveit of Estonia in the second round of singles on Wednesday. There are also doubles. Williams and his sister Venus will be in the competition together, with the first game scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday.
“Please continue to support me as long as I am here,” Williams told the crowd.
I’m sure they will. They were there to honor her and show appreciation for what she had done on and off the court. and spelled “We (Heart) Serena.”
Voiced by Queen Latifah, who called the Americans the “Queen of Queens” before Williams’ entrance after Kobinich was introduced by name only and even revealed to her what assumptions she made on this sultry night. There was a tribute video with The arena announcer called Williams “the greatest of all time,” adding, “This US Open will be the final chapter in her storied tennis history.”
She means a lot to many. as a tennis player. as a woman. as an African American. as a mother. as a businessman.
“When she started, female athletes weren’t recognized. She’s accomplished so much,” said Quintella Thorne, 68, from Columbus, Georgia, making her eighth U.S. Open appearance. I did it. “And now she…”
Cora Monroe, 72, a friend of Thorne’s in Shreveport, Louisiana, said Williams is “evolving,” using the term he prefers to “retire.”
After a 6-2, 6-3 win over Leoria Janjan earlier in the day, Gauff was looking forward to sitting in the Ash and watching Williams. Gauff’s original plan was to watch television, but decided it was too important to miss.
“Everybody’s on her side. I’m going to root for her,” Gauff said. “Probably one of the most exciting matches in tennis to date.”
I complied with the bill.
Williams and her supporters have much more in store.
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