US Open 2013 Day 1 Wrap: Venus Williams, Dan Evans and Alisa Kleybanova steal the headlines
Venus Williams plays a forehand during her women’s singles first round match against Kirsten Flipkens on Day One of the 2013 US Open on August 26, 2013. (Getty Images)
Two of the big favourites for this year’s US Open, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, opened their campaigns of the final Grand Slam of the season on Monday with impressive straight sets victories. But it was 60th ranked Venus Williams and 179th ranked British qualifier Daniel Evans, who turned in the best performances of opening Monday.
33-year-old Venus, a champion at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001, turned back the clock with an impressive all-court display to upset 12th seed and Wimbledon semi-finalist Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-2 to go 15-0 in first round matches at the US Open.
After easily winning the first set 6-1 in just 27 minutes, Venus needed nearly an hour to win the second set after several of the early games went to multiple deuces. But there were no effects on Monday from her Sjorgen’s Syndrome disease, which leaves her prone to fatigue and tiredness.
Instead, Venus served big (120mph on her fastest serve and averaging 111mph on her first delivery), hit winners off both flanks, attacked the net and lunged for volleys. She played like a champion and even dressed the part – looking stunning in one of her own designs – a black dress with floral prints and her purple-pink hair tied into a bun.
Hopefully, Venus can gather some momentum this fortnight and make a good run. “For me, I stay positive because I know I can play great tennis. Sometimes you just have to go through more than what you want to go through. Sometimes you have to have losses.
“When I had losses, it always motivates me a lot to do better and to work harder. So I realise that I haven’t had a lot of chances to play this year or a lot of chances to play healthy this year, have had injuries and what have you, so I’m just going to have to keep working my way into it maybe more than some of the other players, but I know I can do that. “
Meanwhile, Daniel Evans pulled off the biggest upset of the day as he stunned the 11th seed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in under two hours to score his first win in a Grand Slam on Court 13. Nishikori played like a man with a heavy burden on his shoulders – the Japanese player has been chasing history over the past few weeks, as he attempts to become the first from his nation to break into the world’s top ten.
And that has showed in his recent results. For 23-year-old Evans, who won three matches in qualifying last week, the win continues an impressive run in recent months – he has improved his ranking by nearly 200 spots since March and has also, twice in the past two years, won Davis Cup rubber matches for Great Britain.
The Brit will now take on the 20-year-old Australian Bernard Tomic for a place in the last 32 and his increasing confidence will make him a tough opponent. “That was pretty good out there to play so well and against someone so highly ranked. I felt pretty confident all through the week, and that was a good match. I wasn’t worried. I spoke to a few of you yesterday and I was pretty confident.”
Meanwhile, second seed Nadal extended his hard court winning streak to 16 matches as he defeated the 21-year-old American Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 while Serena needed only one hour to beat the former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-0. The Italian felt so helpless on court that at one point she turned to one of the ball boys on the court for a hug.