US Open, Serena Williams sibylline on possible withdrawal

Double 6-3 for champion in US Open opener

Serena Williams has advanced to the second round of the US Open. The 40-year-old American star got rid of Montenegrin Danka Kovinic with a double 6-3. She will now face Anett Kontaveit, No. 2 in the women’s draw.

Many are wondering if this will be her last tournament, “Retirement? I’ve been rather vague on this topic, haven’t I? What will I do, because you never know,” her post-match words. In short, Serena Williams, for the moment, thinks only about playing.

Since 1968, that is, since the tournament was opened to professionals, three tennis players have won it five times: the Americans Jimmy Connors (1974, 1976, 1978, 1982 and 1983) and Pete Sampras (1990, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 2002) and the Swiss Roger Federer, who won it from 2004 to 2008. In 2020 it was won by Austrian Dominic Thiem, who in a comeback beat Alexander Zverev in the final in five sets by the score of 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6. Last year Novak Djokovic, who came within a whisker of a Grand Slam thanks to successes in Australia, France and England, succumbed in the final against Medvedev.