With no fans at US Open, Serena cheers herself to victory

With no fans to cheer her on, Serena Williams was left to push herself to a record-breaking straight-sets victory in the first round of the US Open.

The six-time champion did not need the help of a fan-filled Arthur Ashe Stadium to provide a lift during her 7-5 6-4 win over the 96th ranked Kristie Ahn.

But at some point during the next two weeks at Flushing Meadows, Williams, as she has instinctively done many times over the last two decades, will look to the stands for a turbo-boost and there will be none.

"I think the hardest is making sure you stay pumped," said Williams, when asked about the lack of fans and big-crowd atmosphere. "For me it was clearly easy because I'm always overly passionate.

"I love being passionate. It's what I'm best at."

Running on empty will take on a whole new meaning at the Covid-19 impacted U.S. Open, where the boisterous energy provided by capacity crowds that pack tennis's biggest stadium have in the past refilled fatigued players' tanks.

While Williams was certainly not firing on all cylinders on Tuesday she began her US Open as she started 19 others - with a win - and improved her first round match record to 20-0.

And even after 20 years there were still records to be broken, Williams collecting her 102nd US Open win to surpass the mark she shared with Chris Evert.

The record Williams covets, however, is equalling Margaret Court's 24 Grand Slam titles.

Down an early break in each set against Ahn on Tuesday, Williams constantly leaned on her biggest weapon, her serve, to get her out of trouble, hammering down 13 aces and winning 32 of 38 first-serve points.

But while her serve inflicted damage, her other weapons were not so sharp. And despite saying she was "super fit" Williams appeared fatigued.

Although her court coverage was lacking, her power and experience were more than enough to see off the 28-year-old Ahn, who is still chasing a first career title.

Williams's straight sets win was her first since the WTA Tour's restart in August, as all five of her previous matches had gone the distance.

While Williams counted the positives to come from the win she acknowledged there is still plenty to work on.

"I felt like I wanted to be focused from the first point to the last," said Williams, who lifted herself with screams and fist pumps throughout the match.

"I feel like I have been focused but I've been losing matches on literally one point that could swing a match a different way.

"I just wanted to be Serena, focused from the first point to the last point no matter what happens."

Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin produced a dominant display to dispatch Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-2 6-2.

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 (U.S. 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.

Second seed Kenin will next face Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez, who defeated Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-4 7-5. (Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Sloane Stephens delivered an efficient 6-3 6-3 win over Mihaela Buzarnescu.

The 2017 champion, seeded 26th this year, smacked a backhand winner on match point to see off the Romanian after an hour and 16 minutes.

Buzarnescu contributed to her own downfall with seven double faults on a humid night on Court 17.

Next up for Stephens is Olga Govortsova, who the American has defeated in both of their career meetings, with Serena Williams looming as a possible opponent in the third round. 

- Reuters