With the fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium sure to be on her side and an impeccable first-round record at the US Open, Serena Williams will have many advantages on Monday night before hitting the ball.
To beat her, Danka Kovinic will have to play the match of her life.
The 27-year-old from Montenegro has yet to win a singles WTA title, although she posted her best year in the majors to date. She reached the third round at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros for the first time, notching a daring three-set victory over US Open champion Emma Raducano in Melbourne all the way.
“After the first set, she was hitting a slice of forehand. I had never hit a forehand in my life. For sets I was basically doing that. On Friday when asked about the Kovenic match, I remember it was really strong, she was staying,” Radokano said on Friday. With you, you hit. Then after one falls after a long walk, it attacks. She is happy to run and happy to gather. It’s a great sport. It will be a good match, I think.”
Kovinic will be looking to rediscover that solid defense from January tonight. The match went into a five-game losing streak after withdrawing from Wimbledon with a lower back problem, and has not won a match since the French Open in May.
Ranked 80 in the world, she is one of only two players from Montenegro to have a WTA ranking (the other being ranked 988). It reached the top professional rank of 46 in 2016.
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