Finally, the years final Grand Slam, The US Open, has kicked off. Weeks of anticipation has been fueled by talk of Serena Williams’ quest for all four Grand Slams in the same calendar year, something that hasn’t been done since Steffi Graf did it in 1988.
Serena is certainly the main attraction over the next two weeks but there is plenty to keep an eye on moving forward especially since day 1 already gave us some unexpected narratives.
Serena Cruises To Effortless Victory
Serena’s first win of the tournament over Vitalia Diatchenko took a staggering 30 minutes. Sure, Diatchenko retired at 2-0 in the second set but Serena was putting on a serving clinic to the point that even a fully fit opponent would have struggled to return the bombs she dropping. The less said about this match the better. This tweet sums it up pretty well.
Serena already at 3-0 in seven minutes. So far, this is turning into a very public practice session for the top seed. #USOpen
— Erik Gudris (@ATNtennis) September 1, 2015
Last Years Finalist Bows Out One of the feel good stories from last years US Open, Kei Nishikori, lost in 5 sets to eclectic Frenchman Benoit Paire. Before this victory Paire was best know for tanking matches and his fast food diet, which puts into perspective just how demoralizing a loss this is for Nishikori. Paire saved two match points this match and threw a couple temper tantrums which was top class entertainment. I’ll be keeping an eye out for Paire come round 2. For Nishikori, it’s the second US Open he’s limped into with injury but this time we wasn’t able to battle through his rust. It’s a disappointing result but it’s been a career defining 12 months for NIshikori so he shouldn’t hang his head.
Nadal get his Revenge
Is it possible for a 14 time Grand Slam finalist to have a tournament defining match against an unranked teenager? 2015 Rafa Nadal hasn’t been the shot-making and quick-footed Nadal we’re used to so a grind-it-out two and a half hour match in the New York humidity might be the sort of confidence boost Rafa needs.
Nadal used more than 10 towels during his 1st round match. pic.twitter.com/d0HxKhhuS8 — Luigi Gatto (@LuisGatTWI) September 1, 2015
Considering Nadal lost to Borna Coric last year in Basel after appendix surgery he was not taking this match-up lightly. After not being able to get past the quarterfinal of the two hard court tournaments he entered this past month Nadal will be hoping this victory is the first step to making a run a tournament he wasn’t able to compete in last year due to injury. As a tennis fan I hope this is the case, but as a realist I wouldn’t be shocked to see Nadal lose before the weekend.
Americans as far as the eye can see
Nineteen Americans took the court yesterday with mixed results. The only American to make it through on the men’s side was impending retiree Mardy Fish. He was visibly emotional upon victory but was at least able to joke about his cramping towards the end of the match. Venus Williams, Coco Vandeweghe and Madison Keys all also came out victorious albeit Vandeweghe’s victory came at the expense of fellow american Sloane Stephens. Today another eighteen Americans battle it out with the seventeen year-old phenom Francis Tiafoe the must see attraction of the day.
