OK, we’re going to wrap this blog up now. Next up is Andy Murray against Lukas Rosol, and you can follow that here with Luis Miguel Echegaray:
Thanks for reading. Bye!
Serena speaks!
“I love coming out here with this New York crowd – it’s super special, and I love it here. I love you guys. Thanks so much!
“I got off to a fast start, and I didn’t want to start out slow. That’s all I could do today.
“I’m going to have to wait until tomorrow to see. I haven’t been able to play much since Wimbledon, so every day I’ll just see how it goes.
“Every time I step on the court is so memorable. Every time I step out here is super special.
“I absolutely love the new stadium. I love the roof, it’s exciting. We’re doing great things out here.
“Everything out here for me is a bonus. Every time I come out it’s just a bonus. Thank you guys!”
That was hugely impressive from the top seed: she just never allowed Makarova to settle. One hour and two minutes, and Serena Williams is through to the second round, where she’ll play fellow American Vania King.
Serena Williams beats Ekaterina Makarova 6-3 6-3
Second set: Williams 6-3 6-3 Makarova
Williams is a game away from the second round, and she might get it here: Makarova is in trouble at 0-30. Makarova nets, and it’s 0-40, and three match points for Serena Williams. She gives up two of them, but not the third, and that’s that: game, set and match Williams!
Second set: Williams 6-3 5-3 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
We’ve been playing 57 minutes, and this has been very good from Serena Williams. She moves to 15-0, but then throws in the first double fault of the match, and it’s 15-15. Now a chance, perhaps, for Makarova at 15-30, but Williams with another ace! No12 of the match, and it’s 30-30. A lovely decisive forehand follows a nasty kick serve, and that’s game Williams after Makarova is long.
Second set: *Williams 6-3 4-3 Makarova (*denotes next server)
Trouble for Makarova at 30-30, but Williams clips the top of the net and it’s 40-30. Wide, though, from the Russian, and we’ll have deuce.
And second deuce! Williams had break point, but that’s nerveless stuff from Makarova, and now she has the advantage, which she holds. That was such an important game for Makarova – a double break would have been fatal.
Updated
Second set: Williams 6-3 4-2 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
An 112mph ace, and it’s 15-0, which quickly becomes 30-0. Williams is just so strong on her serve, and that’s another ace, her 10th, for 40-0. She’s only given Makarova 10 second serves all evening. Makarova hits back with a double riposte for 40-30, but she can’t stretch enough to return this one, and it’s game Williams.
Second set: *Williams 6-3 3-2 Makarova (*denotes next server)
Williams has stayed back most of the time, but she comes into the net here, and it’s a success: Makarova’s approach shot was tame, and Williams puts away an easy volley. Then Makarova hits one from the backcourt that is inches long, and suddenly she’s in a jam at 0-30. Love-thirty quickly becomes 0-40, and Williams has three break points: she takes the first of them, and this is turning into a one-way street.
Updated
Second set: Williams 6-3 2-2 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
Williams has been sharp so far, and Makarova is finding it difficult when the top seed’s first serves are good. Williams flips an easy forehand into the net for 30-15, but that’s a lovely easy winner down the line, and it’s 40-15, and then the game. Williams really rattling through her service games.
Second set: *Williams 6-3 1-2 Makarova (*denotes next server)
Makarova’s serve, by contrast, is malfunctioning – she’s down at 53% on her first service percentage. But that’s a lovely down-the-line backhand from Makarova to move ahead 30-15, only for Williams to draw level with a lovely piece of timing on her forehand: Makarova could only stand and watch. Then Makarova lobs one into the net, and it’s another break point for Williams, which she can’t take! Deuce.
And Makarova comes through that little wobble to move ahead 2-1.
Second set: Williams 6-3 1-1 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
Williams’s serve is really working well – she’s painting the corners, and we’re 40-0 before we know it. Makarova is then long, and it’s another easy hold to love.
Second set: *Williams 6-3 0-1 Makarova (*denotes next server)
Makarova looked OK in that first set, but had a bad game at 2-4, and now she’s got a job to stay in the match. She moves to 30-0, but she’s still struggling with her first serve percentage, and Williams comes back to 30-15. A big scream after Williams misses an easy winner, and then Makarova wraps the game up. Good early hold.
Updated
Serena Williams wins the first set!
First set: Williams 6-3 Makarova
Williams goes 15-0 ahead, but then pushes an easy volley into the net! 15-15. Her sixth ace makes it 30-15, but Makarova draws level again, only for Williams to crank up that serve, and finish the game with an ace! Serena takes the first set, and looks in good touch.
Updated
First set: *Williams 5-3 Makarova (*denotes next server)
New balls for Makarova, and she’s trying to stay in the set. And that’s the best point of the match! Makarova didn’t do enough with the smash, but then cushioned a lovely drop-volley that Williams couldn’t get to. 15-0. Then Williams is long from the backcourt, and Makarova has a 30-0 lead. Williams misses wide, and it’s 40-0, and Makarova finishes the game with a confident put-away. Much better.
First set: Williams 5-2 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
That was a disjointed game from Makarova, and Williams is racing to push home the advantage: she moves to 40-0 with no fuss. Makarova is struggling a bit here, and that’s another unforced error into the top of the net. Game Williams.
First set: *Williams 4-2 Makarova (*denotes next server)
A second double fault of the match from Makarova, and it’s 15-30. Chance for Williams here, but her return on Makarova’s second serve is long. 30-30.
Wild first serve from Makarova, and that’s a giveaway on the second: 30-40, and Williams has break point. But that’s wide! It sat up for Williams on her forehand, but just gave it too much juice. Deuce.
Makarova’s been so erratic in this game – she’s really struggled to get her first serves in, and she nets a regulation backhand into the net. Another break point for Williams, and she takes it after Makarova is long.
First set: Williams 3-2 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
Another ace from Williams, and we’re level at 15-15. Now 30-15, and 40-15, after another crunching ace. Makarova gets a racquet on the next one, but can’t do anything with it, and that’s another comfortable hold for Williams.
Updated
First set: *Williams 2-2 Makarova (*denotes next server)
Makarova was ranked as high as No8 in 2015, and she’s no dud. She moves to 40-0, and then fires a serve into Williams’s body, and that’s the game. Good stuff from the Russian.
First set: Williams 2-1 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
Williams’s serve is really working nicely here. She’s serving between 110-120mph, which seems to suggest her shoulder is OK, at least for now. Comfortable hold to 15, and Williams looks in good nick so far.
First set: *Williams 1-1 Makarova (*denotes next server)
Nervy start from Makarova, but she draws level at 15-15 after Williams misses a regulation backhand from the backcourt. Nice, positive approach from Makarova for 30-15, and then Serena nets, and we’re 40-15. But then Makarova is long, twice, and we’re at deuce.
First ace of the match from Makarova! And she gets on the board after Williams misses left side. We’re even at one.
First set: Williams 1-0 Makarova* (*denotes next server)
And the first point goes to Makarova after Williams misses left side. A 114mph ace draws Williams level at 15-15, and then Makarova can’t return another heavy first serve. 30-15. And how about that! Another ace – this time 108mph, right on the T, for 40-15, and then a confident winner down the line. Terrific start for the top seed.
Williams to serve first. Let’s play tennis!
Serena Williams is 63-1 in the first round of major tournaments. Quiz question: who inflicted her only first-round loss, and when?
OK, we’re almost there. Serena Williams is playing her 90th match on Arthur Ashe – she’s won 79 of them. We’ll have a brief knock-up, and then we’ll begin.
The players are just exiting the locker room, and they’ll be on court shortly.
We’re about five minutes away from match time. The sun’s just going down in Queens, but it’s warm still: about 79F, or 26C.
Earlier, Australian Bernard Tomic was beaten by Damir Dzumhur, and he wasn’t happy, so he lobbed some bad words at a spectator. More here:
A couple more results from earlier: Juan Martin del Potro beat Diego Schwartzman in straight sets, and Stan Wawrinka was too good for Fernando Verdasco. But Ana Ivanovic was dumped out in the first round at Flushing Meadows again, beaten in straight sets by Denisa Allertova.
Updated
We’re just in between the day session and the evening session here, and we’re about 30 minutes away from the start of play.
A reminder: Serena Williams is going for grand slam No23 here. If she were to triumph, she’d overtake Steffi Graf and become the most decorated player in the Open era. But how is her shoulder injury holding up?
“I haven’t played a lot, I haven’t practiced a lot, but I’m just now starting to feel a little better,” Williams said last week. “Hopefully just every day I will keep going higher.”
There’s some Australian interest tonight, too. Nick Kyrgios is taking on Aljaz Bedene on the old Grandstand court, and you can follow that here:
Here’s Kathy Podgers: “Hi Tim, just because Serena is so great, it’s still shameful to forget Venus.”
Yep, you’re right: seven major championships, two grand slam finals and four Olympic gold medals is some achievement. Plus, with 49 singles titles, Venus is behind only her Serena among active players on the WTA Tour.
Venus Williams is through! 6-2 5-7 6-4 against Kozlova, and the veteran American is moving on.
And what of Makarova? As mentioned, the tall left-hander is ranked 29 in the world, so it’s a slight surprise that she’s not among the seeds. Plus, she’s coming off a gold-medal winning performance in Rio, where she won the women’s doubles with her compatriot Elena Vesnina. She’s also got a history against Serena: she beat her in the fourth round of the Australian Open in 2012.
But Williams has punished Makarova since that loss, winning all three matches without dropping a set, and in their most recent meeting, Williams cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the 2014 semi-finals here.
Serena Williams’ sister Venus, the sixth seed, is in a battle with Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova on Arthur Ashe right now: they’ve been playing for more than two and a half hours, and Kozlova has just broken as Williams served for the match! Four-five in the final set, and Kozlova is serving.
Updated
Hello and welcome
It’s a warm Tuesday evening in New York, and Serena Williams is making her 2016 US Open debut. The world No1, fresh from a disappointing performance at the Olympics in Rio, plays Ekaterina Makarova, the 29th-ranked Russian, in a juicy first-round contest, and she’ll be hoping to achieve what she couldn’t manage last year: victory in her “home” grand slam.
Twelve months ago Williams was defeated, shockingly almost, by the Italian Roberta Vinci in the last four, and her shot at the so-called “Serena Slam” was gone. It was a big surprise: the imperious Williams, arguably the finest female tennis player of all time, beaten by a player her first ever grand slam semi-final. Few predicted it, and the defeat stung: Williams took the rest of the year off to regain her fitness and her motivation.
It’s been an up-and down 2016 so far, but Serena was back to her best at Wimbledon, where she finally tied Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 major titles, and this is a tournament she enjoys: she’s won six championships here, including her first major as a 17-year-old, all the way back in 1999.
The evening session begins at 7pm local time – we should be ready shortly after. And then Andy Murray, the Olympic champion, plays Lukas Rosol. Lots to enjoy – join us then!
Updated
Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, read how the favorite in the men’s singles fared on Monday night:
During the match, Djokovic hit first serves around 100 mph, sometimes slower — 25 mph or so below his usual average speed. He hit second serves in the low 80s. He flexed his right arm, the one he has used to wield a racket on the way to 12 grand slam titles, and appeared generally unhappy.
In the stands, Djokovic’s coach, Boris Becker, gnawed on his fingernails, looking nervous as can be. This was the world No1’s first match at a major tournament since losing to Sam Querrey in the third round of Wimbledon, which ended the Serb’s bid for a calendar-year grand slam after titles at the Australian Open and French Open.
Heading into the US Open, Djokovic spoke about dealing with a left wrist injurythat flared up in the days before the Rio Olympics this month. But that appeared to be fine against Janowicz, a former top-20 player who reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon in 2013 and is now ranked 247th after his own series of injury issues.
Earlier in Arthur Ashe Stadium, another two-time US Open champion, Rafael Nadal, stood near the net after winning his first grand slam match in three months — 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 against Denis Istomin — and unraveled the thick wrap of white tape protecting his all-important left wrist. He said he’s still not back to hitting his forehand the way he does when he’s at his best, but there was nothing that seemed to be as debilitating as what Djokovic went through.
