Final thoughts
Not a lot to analyze in this one — with every point it became more apparent that Diatchenko was carrying an injury into this match, and it’s hard to remember a point where Williams was tested.
Of course, after all the hype around her pursuit of these records perhaps an anticlimactic start was just what Williams needed to ease her into the tournament — though don’t expect the hype to have died down when we see her again on Wednesday on the second round. Anyway, the contender for Greatest Of All Time didn’t have much chance to offer evidence in her own favor tonight — greater tests await.
I’ll be back as the tournament progresses — thanks for those of you who tweeted or emailed. Sorry I didn’t get to use them all — there wasn’t really time. See you next time. Good night.
Williams speaks
Big cheers for Williams as she acknowledged the crowd’s reaction — “I can feel the love and support on my journey...Whatever happens, I’m here at home, where it all began in 1999.”
“I have to look at it as having nothing to lose and that’s how I’ve entered this tournament”
Diatchenko retires with injury - Williams wins 6-0, 2-0
That break was the last act for Diatchenko, who limps out of the tournament after barely registering in it. Williams, for her part, gets the simplest of progressions through to the second round after winning 32 of 37 points.
Williams* 6-0, 2-0 Diatchenko (*denotes next server)
More double faulting and Williams is swiftly up 0-30. Finally Diatchenko shows some boldness trying to wrongfoot her opponent with a cross court shot into the corner but it’s long and that’s another three break points. Another unforced error and Williams breaks again. And now Diatchenko calls for the trainer again. She’s looked in no condition to play all night — she may have really wanted the chance to play Williams, but this is a case of being careful what you wish for...
Williams 6-0, 1-0 Diatchenko* (*denotes next server)
Williams will not mind how straightforward this is — Diatchenko is taking a bathroom break right now, and possibly hailing a cab for JFK while she’s at it. This has been a rough exposition for her, while Williams has not had to do anything other than keep the ball in play to be where she is right now in this match. She jumps out to a 40-0 lead with Diatchenko continually unable to get the ball back in play from William’s serve. Finally she does but a wild forehand shot skews off Diatchenko’s racquet just as Williams is warming to a rally and that’s another game to Williams.
Williams wins the first set 6-0
Williams up on her feet bouncing around and swinging to stay loose as treatment continues on Diatchenko. Finally time is called and Diatchenko is back on her feet, after a fashion — she’s still unable to put any weight on her foot as she serves, and Williams has plenty of space to end an incipient rally with a cross court winner for 0-15. Another quick point for 0-30 and then Williams wafts another easy winner into the corner for 0-40. A slightly patronizing whoop from the crowd as Diatchenko wins the next point, but it only prolongs the inevitable as yet another error gifts Williams her third break...
Injury break
Diatchenko has called for the trainer, which may go some way to explaining her lack of mobility so far (something has to account for how frozen she’s looked). She did have the achilles problem earlier this year and she’s being treated in her chair. Williams looks utterly impassive in her own chair a few feet away.
Diatchenko’s left ankle is being wrapped now. She may be tempted to ask the trainer to tape Williams’ ankles together while they’re at it...
Williams 5-0 Diatchenko* (*denotes next server)
Williams batters down three winning serves without seeming to pause for breath — she’s realized how little opposition she faces on the other side of the net right now and is trying to get out of here before Diatchenko comes out of shock. And there’s another ace. We’ve been plying for 12 minutes (around the time it took Josh Groan to reach the first chorus) and it’s 5-0 to Williams in the first set.
Williams* 4-0 Diatchenko (*denotes next server)
The roof being on Arthur Ashe court has changed the feel of the court — at times in the past Williams has had problems with the swirling winds at the venue, but it’s much more predictable right now.
Not so Diatchenko’s awkward serve, which is pummeled back quickly by Williams to punish a static opponent. 0-30, and while Diatchenko tries to play into the next point she finds the net again on a routine shot and suddenly she’s down three break points again. She can’t do anything about that — another shot goes long and Williams breaks again — this is getting ugly fast.
Updated
Williams 3-0 Diatchenko* (*denotes next server)
The pair split the opening points in what’s been a tentative start, but then Williams finds her first ace of the night for 30-15, and follows it with another one for 40-15. Actually, make that three...Williams up 3-0 in just seven minutes. Diatchenko not looking relaxed any more...
Williams* 2-0 Diatchenko (*denotes next server)
Diatchenko looks tight even as she takes the first point, and double faults to 15-15. Another double fault from a very awkward service action for 15-30 and Williams puts the next point away quickly for two break points. Diatchenko saves one as Williams returns into the net, but on the next point Williams fires a return straight back to Diatchenko’s feet and her opponent can only find the net as she tries to dig out a shot. Williams breaks early.
Williams 1-0 Diatchenko* (*denotes next server)
Short rally to start the match ends with Williams swatting away a looping shot from Diatchenko. Second serve at 15-0, and now Williams goes long for a first double fault. 15-15. She hammers down a dominant first serve next time though, for 30-15.
Second serve again, and Williams gets to the ball a little slowly after a brief rally and the ball spins wickedly on her attempted backhand down the line and kicks away from Diatchenko for 40-15. Diatchenko challenges, but the ball just caught the line, and Williams follows up with a routine point to see out the game.
Match underway
We’re off. And it’s Williams to serve...
Williams wins toss...
..and bounces back to her baseline, anxious to get going. Diatchenko looks focused as she prepares to face her one time idol for the first time.
Warm ups
The players are being briefed by the umpire at the net, as Williams swings her racquet in big looping arcs in front of her opponent, trying to loosen up. She’s been a slow starter this year, however well she’s ultimately done in those matches, and there’s just a suspicion that as dominant as she’s been in the record books, an opponent capable of holding her nerve after a strong start might just cause a shock. Certainly Williams will want to get the distractions of this week’s build up put of the way.
It’s quite an occasion
Spotlights sweeping the stadium from the newly completed stadium roof. Both players being interviewed backstage — Diatchenkow looking remarkably relaxed as she smiles and talks about doing “nothing special” tactically to face Williams. Williams for her part admits she’s “always nervous” and actually sounds it a little too.
Williams has won more night matches at the US Open than any other player, man or woman, but she could be forgiven some nerves as she strides out to her chair. Diatchenko for her part has nothing to lose, but let’s see how she handles the crowd.
Anthem time
Vanessa Williams is singing the national anthem now. If the Williams match finishes quickly at least this crowd are getting their money’s worth.
Finally, we’re through with all the preliminaries (bar an obligatory Serena montage) and the players should be out imminently.
If you love tennis you’ll love Josh Groban...
Josh Groban will be the guest performer to open the tournament as we’ve just learned from a sweetly awkward comedic video with him and Billie Jean King. And now he’s sweeping down the staircase of one of the stands to the sound of swelling strings and schmaltzy piano. New York night time tennis people — never knowingly under blown. I wonder what Williams and Diatchenko are making of this back in the locker rooms.
Anyway. Groban’s finished now...nope, he’s introducing Lena Hall, and they’re singing a duet...I’m off to order a pizza slice.
Long dark night of the opening festivities
New York mayor Bill De Blasio is out working the crowd. He’s been watching that montage (needs some work on his air-punching though). And his playing to the New York crowd is coming off a little bit flat — though he gets some cheers when he announces that for the first time ever the women’s final has sold out before the men’s final this year.
More speechifying follows. And now here’s Billie Jean King to some genuinely warm applause...
Email scolds
James S Burns writes in from Spokane, Washington:
“The press needs to remember there are other players in the US Open. For one, I think Coco will defeat Serena in a wild 3 set match. Oh, and there is a mens draw, Roger, Andy, Rafa and Novac are there! I pick 2 of them to make the final. Right no gut feeling on that one.”
Go on James, go with your gut... I know I did (though I wish my gut would stop now).
It’s certainly hard to find sober-minded coverage of the women’s field at this tournament precisely because of what’s at stake for one very dominant player. And in fairness, we’re having that conversation because Williams has achieved so much in her career and in this recent splendid run.
Ooh...right on cue, the TV has started up a montage. Shotmaking, grimacing and air punching ensues.
Twitter thunders
John McEnerney weighs in:
“Serena is 1 of the greatest but not the GOAT that would b IMO Martina, I’d put Steffi ahead of SW 2. The title is Serena’s 2 lose!”
G.O.A.T?
There are competing schools of thought around Williams — her defenders say that the unprecedented return to dominance of recent years is a mark of her greatness. in that account, a career that once looked to be heading into the distractions of celebrity after an electrifying start, gained renewed focus and momentum (and titles) in the last few years.
Her detractors meanwhile, point to the fact that her most recent wave of titles have come in a moment where once worthy opponents such as Justine Henin have left the scene, and they’ll often highlight the rather notional opposition offered by Maria Sharapova in the pair’s “rivalry” as a telling example of that.
Leave it to the folks over at Five Thirty Eight to reach their own conclusions — and they seem to be somewhat in the latter camp, while still classing Williams comfortably among the elite of the game.
Vitalia Diatchenko
William’s opponent is a player who’s never got further than the 2nd round at a Grand Slam and has never ranked higher than 71 in the world, which she managed in November of last year.
It’s a thankless task for Diatchenko — she’s traveled from her home in Sochi without coach, family or support, after being picked at random from a pool of 96 unseeded players to face Williams, and can hardly count on much support among a partisan crowd tonight.
She’s not without Grand Slam experience, and took Maria Sharapova to three sets at this year’s French Open, but Diatchenko also has had long term injury problems and had an achilles tendon operation in spring, which further set her back after a long recovery from a botched ACL operation in 2011.
As for stopping history, “I don’t want to stop her from winning four Grand Slams…I just want to play good and win the match, that’s all.”
That’s all...
Preamble
Evening all. And welcome to the Greatest Live Tennis Blog Of All Time (G.L.T.B.O.A.T), for the Greatest News Outlet Of All Time (G.N.O.O.A.T), by a writer (W).
Yes, Serena Williams campaign to match Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slam titles in the Open era gets under way tonight, along with the small matter of the calendar Grand Slam Williams could complete if she wins the US Open. And that means everyone who’s even vaguely sure which way up to hold a tennis racquet (and quite a few who don’t) will be spending the coming days bending your ear about whether Serena Williams truly is the G.O.A.T.
That’s assuming she doesn’t flame out in the first round of course — which wouldn’t necessarily be the Greatest Upset Of All Time, but might be the Greatest Anticlimax Of All Time (this week), and probably the Greatest Inconvenience Of All Time for the harried video editors currently stitching together a decade and a half’s worth of fierce winners to emphasize Serena’s longtime dominance.
Williams faces Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko this evening on the Arthur Ashe court at Flushing Meadows — with Diatchenko the first of what may be a line of players charged with the unenviable task of trying to stop Williams as she heads for her date with destiny etc. Nobody setting odds is giving her or anyone else much chance — Williams is an overwhelming tournament favorite — but let’s see what sort of start she gets off to this evening.
I’ll be back shortly (the match is due to start around 7pm) — and in the meantime you can send me your tweets and emails to @KidWeil or graham.parker@theguardian.com and I’ll do my best to make sure this blog is well stocked with the Greatest Interactive Filler Of All Time. And that’s no hype.
Graham will be here shortly. In the meantime, here is Bryan Graham on teh build-up to her tournament:
She arrived just after noon on Thursday to a standing-room-only throng of press that had gathered in the main interview room below Arthur Ashe Stadium, clad in a navy T-shirt and gray sweats after a morning on the practice courts. Camera shutters whirred and flashbulbs popped. The champ was here.
Yet Serena Williams seemed down, almost forlorn. Over it, even. The 33-year-old spoke at length but said little, a skill as finely tuned and perfunctory as the weapons-grade groundstrokes that have subdued and reduced three generations of world class players on the women’s tennis tour to also-rans fighting over her scraps. After all these years, she remains simultaneously transparent and unknowable.
“I really don’t have much at stake,” the 21-times major champion said matter-of-factly. “Being here is an opportunity to defend my title. I love winning here, I love playing here and that’s all I want to do.” Whatever you say.
Over the next fortnight Williams – already the defending Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open champion – will attempt to become the first player since Steffi Graf in 1988 to capture each of the sport’s four bedrock titles in a calendar year. Another win here would move her level with Graf’s 22 major championships – the recognised metric of greatness. The bookmakers have uniformly installed her as the odds-on favourite.
