{blackbabes} Serena Williams Says It's 'Painful' to Be Apart from Her Daughter Olympia While Competing

 

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U.S. Open tournament.' data-reactid="31">Serena Williams is getting candid about missing her daughter while she competes in this year's U.S. Open tournament.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Williams, who shares Alexis Olympia with husband Alexis Ohanian, said that being away from her daughter during the long tournament days is often "painful."

"I actually prefer playing in the day because I get to go home and see my baby," Williams — who has already made it to the fourth round of the U.S. Open — shared. "I've been missing her the last few nights when I play."

"In the beginning she would really be upset when I left," the athlete said about her daughter, who turns 2 on Sunday. "And now she's a little bit better. I think I'm a little more upset. But at the same time, she definitely still takes it a little hard. She's still super young."

The mother of one added, "You know, it's hard. Sometimes my heart literally aches when I'm not around her. But, you know, it's good for me, I guess, to keep working and just — to all moms out there that it's not easy. It's really kind of painful sometimes. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do."

Williams explained that her normal training schedule allows her to spend time with her daughter during the day, but tournaments make things more difficult.

Forbes." data-reactid="39">"Usually I'm with her, I can train really early in the morning and be done pretty early with my day, and I can just stay with her for the rest of the day," she told Forbes.

"In tournament schedule, it's totally different, so I'm kind of pushed out of my usual day-to-day life," Williams continued. "Oh, my God, I'm not with her. That's been the most, I mean, the toughest thing I have ever dealt with in my career."

got off to a strong start, with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Maria Sharapova in her opening match. The tennis star has now made it to the fourth round of the tournament, and will next face Croatia's Petra Martic on Sunday. ' data-reactid="64">Williams' U.S. Open got off to a strong start, with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Maria Sharapova in her opening match. The tennis star has now made it to the fourth round of the tournament, and will next face Croatia's Petra Martic on Sunday.

Ranked as a No. 8 seed, Williams is looking to win her 24th Grand Slam singles title, tying the record for most grand slam wins with Margaret Smith Court.

  — which forced her to withdraw from the Cincinnati Masters and her final match of the Rogers Cup in Toronto due to back issues — have raised questions about how the champion will fare in this year's open.' data-reactid="66">However, Williams' recent injuries  — which forced her to withdraw from the Cincinnati Masters and her final match of the Rogers Cup in Toronto due to back issues — have raised questions about how the champion will fare in this year's open.

The U.S. Open began on Aug. 26 and runs until Sept. 8.

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{blackbabes} Serena juggles motherhood, fashion while chasing history

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New York (AFP) - While Serena Williams chases tennis history at the US Open, she's also planning a fashion show and spending as much time as she can with baby daughter Olympia.

The 37-year-old American advanced to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows on Friday by defeating Czech Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-2 in only 74 minutes.

Williams, seeking her 24th Grand Slam title to match the all-time record set by Margaret Court, will play Croatian 22nd seed Petra Martic on Sunday for a quarter-finals berth.

But she's spending precious rest time preparing for her clothing line's presentation at Fashion Week, next week's apparel spectacular in New York.

And the six-time US Open champion finds that the feeling of missing her daughter is tougher than what opponents put her through.

"The toughest thing right now is being away from my daughter. That's the only thing that's tough," said Williams, who often trains early to spend the rest of her day with Olympia.

"In tournament schedule, it's totally different, so I'm kind of pushed out of my usual day-to-day life -- 'Oh, my God, I'm not with her,'" Williams said.

"That has been the most, I mean 'the' toughest, thing I've ever dealt with in my career."

Two years ago, Williams suffered a lung blood clot during labor while giving birth to Olympia, sparking major concerns and a significant hospital stay.

"I don't really think about it, but it's cool," she said. "I think two years ago I had things attached to my arm, IVs, and it was a miracle that happened, having my baby. It was really a great day for me.

"Then it all went downhill. It all went downhill after that for a good five days. But I'm here and I'm going to be reflecting on my opponent more than anything."

- 'Heart literally aches' -

Now Williams feels sadness at leaving her baby for the tennis court.

"In the beginning she would really be upset when I left. And now she's a little bit better. I think I'm a little more upset," Williams said.

"It's hard. Sometimes my heart literally aches when I'm not around her. But it's good for me, I guess, to keep working -- and just to all moms out there that it's not easy. It's really kind of painful sometimes. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do."

This week, that means work matches around New York Fashion Week plans for her clothing brand.

"I'm obviously super hands-on," she said. "Right now I'm actually working on the order I want the outfits to go down (the runway), which is shocking. Last night I was making notes on alterations on the fit model.

"I'm like, 'OK Serena, make sure you stay focused on your tennis.' But also, I do want to have a successful brand."

"I'm definitely dedicated to tennis, but I'm definitely going to go home and I have a huge board where I'm going to lay out the order of the show."

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{blackbabes} Serena Williams easily into US Open 4th Rd

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Serena Williams used a seven-game run midway through the match to grab control and moved into the U.S. Open's fourth round for the 18th consecutive appearance with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Karolina Muchova.

Williams had a bit of shakiness with her serve, double-faulting seven times.

Otherwise, she played well, and went from trailing 3-2 at the outset to grabbing the opening set and a 3-0 lead in the second.

Williams is seeking a seventh title at Flushing Meadows and the 24th Grand Slam singles trophy of her career.

On Sunday, she will face 22nd-seeded Petra Martic of Croatia for a quarterfinal berth.

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{blackbabes} Serena Williams avoids US Open upset against 17-year-old

 

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Serena Williams flubbed yet another shot and wailed, ''I keep missing my forehand!''

She was in trouble, if only briefly, against 17-year-old American Caty McNally, who is friends, and doubles partners, with Coco Gauff.

Making key adjustments to her serve and straightening out her other strokes, Williams avoided what would have been her earliest loss in 19 appearances at the U.S. Open, coming back to beat McNally 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 in a match that ended as Wednesday turned to Thursday.

''You can't win tournaments making that many errors,'' Williams said. ''I knew I had to play better, and I knew I could.''

And so she did.

''Obviously, she's going to pick up her level. I knew that was going to happen,'' McNally said. ''Next time, I just have to raise my level with hers.''

Williams improved to 38-0 in the first two rounds at Flushing Meadows. The only time she was beaten as early as even the third round in New York was in her tournament debut all way back in 1998 - when she was just 16 herself.

The following year, Williams won the first of her six U.S. Open championships. McNally hadn't even been born yet.

Now 37, Williams owns 23 Grand Slam singles titles in all, and she showed off why while powering her way through a deficit, taking 16 of the final set's initial 17 points.

McNally had never won a match at any major tournament until Monday. She is ranked 121st and received a wild-card invitation from the U.S. Tennis Association for singles and for doubles, the latter with 15-year-old sensation Gauff.

It was Gauff who beat Williams' older sister, Venus, on the way to the fourth round of Wimbledon last month.

Might another stunner be in the offing? Seemed a possibility for a set, anyway, with McNally charging the net, serving-and-volleying, and looking like someone who belonged.

Maybe that's why Williams never looked comfortable early. Took time to get into a real groove. Went stretches without being the dominant force she's been for a couple of decades and sure was just the other night while absolutely overwhelming five-time major champion Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-1 in the same arena.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, made louder than usual under the retractable roof that was closed all day because of showers, alternated who it was pulling for, more than happy to cheer for either woman representing the United States at the country's Grand Slam tournament.

Who doesn't love to support an all-time great, after all? And who doesn't enjoy getting behind a true underdog?

''She's young. It's her first time in a stage like this and only her second Grand Slam, so I think there's a lot to gain from it,'' said Lynn Nabors-McNally, Caty's mother, who also helps coach her. ''It's a great stepping stone to a lot of things.''

So there was McNally, almost strutting to the sideline while waving her arms, trying to get the spectators to offer even more noise and more applause after she pulled out the opening set in impressive fashion. First, McNally converted her only break point of the match to lead 6-5. Then she served out the set despite falling behind love-40, erasing three break points and hitting a 103-mph service winner to seal it - and implored the fans to get loud.

They obliged.

''I knew I was playing against the greatest of all time. ... I walked out there and I had the chills,'' McNally said. ''Super happy just to get a set from her. That's something that not very many people do.''

And for a bit of the second set, too, McNally stayed with Williams.

But Williams started to pull away, in part by dispensing with the serves out wide that McNally was handling well, and in part by reducing her mistakes from 15 unforced errors in the first set, to 11 in the second to two in the third.

''Actually, I'd rather not be tested in every match. But that doesn't happen. So it's important for me to have those, like, really rough, rowdy matches,'' Williams said. ''That helps a lot.''

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{blackbabes} Serena on banned umpire Ramos: 'I don't know who that is'

 

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New York (AFP) - Serena Williams is trying hard to move past last year's US Open final meltdown, preferring to forget the umpire she called a "liar" and "thief" and fans booing a controversial ending.

Williams humbled Russia's Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-1 on Monday to reach the second round of the US Open as she seeks a historic seventh New York title and 24th Grand Slam singles crown.

Asked if she felt the tournament was hers to win, the eighth seed replied, "I feel like I'm here to do that. We'll see what happens."

Her domination of Sharapova produced a 19th consecutive triumph over the five-time Slam winner, boosting her record in the rivalry to 20-2.

It was the first match for Williams at Ashe since she unleashed her wrath at umpire Carlos Ramos in last year's US Open final and he awarded a game penalty to eventual winner Naomi Osaka of Japan, this year's top seed and the reigning Australian Open champion as well.

The US Tennis Association decided before the start that Ramos will not officiate any Serena or Venus Williams match at this year's US Open.

When she was asked about Ramos, whose penalty calls had a major impact in her loss to Osaka, she replied, "I don't know who that is."

It's doubtful she will want to jog her memory by looking at video of last year's final, which ended with Williams in tears and Osaka's moment of glory left "bittersweet" as fans voiced displeasure at the controversial awarding of a game that put Osaka one game from the title.

Williams, when asked about how much last year's final entered her mind in her return to Ashe, spoke only about the crowd that was loud and vocal in supporting her over Sharapova.

"It was great. The fans, they were so amazing," Williams said. "I could hear them walking down the hallway. It was such a good feeling. It made me feel unbelievable, really helped me get amped up and pumped up."

She thanked the fans on the court after the match with a nod to past defeats, saying, "I've had a lot of tough matches and a lot of tough losses but coming out here tonight makes it all worthwhile."

A celebrity-filled crowd watched her dismantle Sharapova.

"Her game really matches up well against mine," Williams said. "Her ball somehow lands in my strike zone. It's just perfect for me.

"I was able to zone in, especially down breakpoints, not letting her in the match. She's the kind of player that keeps going. Even towards the end, she just wants to keep fighting."

And as if US wildcard Caty McNally, her next foe, or any other rival needed any more concern, Williams warned she has some new, unrevealed aspects to her game to bring out should the need arise.

"I've been working on a lot of new things," she said. "I don't really talk about what I've been working on so much. I definitely have been working on a lot of new stuff to incorporate in my game."

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{blackbabes} Kendrick Sampson & Carra Patterson To Star In Showtime’s ‘How To Make Love To A Black Woman’ Comedy Anthology Pilot

 

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Kendrick Sampson (How To Get Away with Murder) and Carra Patterson (Straight Outta Compton) are set as the leads in Showtime's How to Make Love to a Black Woman (Who May Be Working Through Some Sh*t) pilot, a comedy anthology from The Chi creator/executive producer Lena Waithe and the series' writer Cathy Kisakye. Production is underway.

Created by Kisakye, How To Make Love to a Black Woman will be a collection of multi-part episodes which will include new characters in an authentic world, telling stories about connection and rejection that explore our most harrowing – and harrowingly comic – sexual secrets.

Sampson and Patterson will play married couple Edwin and Nora. Edwin is the earnest and devoted husband of Nora, a free-spirited wife longing for more excitement in her marriage.

Waithe executive produces along with Rishi Rajan and Kisakye, who wrote the pilot.

Following a breakout role as Jesse on The Vampire Diaries, Sampson co-starred in the limited series Gracepoint. He has also appeared in series such as White Famous, Greek, The Flash and most recently Insecure. Sampson is repped by CAA.

Patterson, who played Tomica Woods in Straight Outta Compton, was a series regular in The Arrangement. She also had notable appearances on Broadway in Wit and in the Tony Award-winning Jitney. Patterson is repped by Innovative Artists & Robyn Bluestone Management.

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{blackbabes} Venus Williams goes from great 1st Open match to loss in 2nd

 

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NEW YORK (AP) -- It took all of five minutes in the U.S. Open's second round for Venus Williams to drop twice as many games as she had in her opening match a couple of days earlier.

And although she eventually made things interesting against No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina, the 39-year-old Williams could not ever quite take control and lost 6-4, 6-4 before a crowd pulling for her under a closed roof at Louis Armstrong Stadium on a rainy Wednesday afternoon.

''Thank you, guys,'' Svitolina, a semifinalist at Wimbledon in July, told the crowd in her on-court interview, ''even though you didn't support me.''

Williams is among the most popular players on tour. She won the U.S. Open twice - all the way back in 2000 and 2001. She also collected five Wimbledon singles championships, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her younger sister, Serena, and reached No. 1 in the rankings.

She fought for equal prize money in tennis for women and has become one of her sport's leading voices.

''It's unbelievable what she does, on the court and off the court,'' Svitolina said. ''Really a big inspiration for everyone.''

Williams, now ranked No. 52, looked terrific in her first-round match at Flushing Meadows on Monday, defeating Zheng Saisai 6-1, 6-0.

Against Svitolina, in contrast, Williams trailed 2-0 right away. She made unforced error after unforced error, 23 in the first set alone. And while she cleaned that up later, it wasn't enough. Williams led 3-0 in the second set before Svitolina reeled off five consecutive games.

Williams fended off five match points while serving down 5-3 in a monumental, 15-minute game, but that only prolonged things briefly, because Svitolina then served out the victory.

It was Williams' eighth Grand Slam tournament in a row that she exited in the third round or earlier.

''Sad it had to end early here,'' she said.

---

TRUNGELLITI SPEAKS

Marco Trungelliti is not staying quiet, even though the 250th-ranked Argentine has been shunned and called a snitch by some on the pro tennis tour for being a key witness in a match-fixing probe that led to three countrymen receiving bans.

Asked if the corruption goes further than those three players, Trungelliti did not hesitate.

''It's way beyond, from my perspective,'' he said. ''There's more than a few of the top 100 players that before were fixing matches or something like that. It's not just something that just happens only in Argentina or Latin America. It happens all over the world and the federation has to take care of it besides the Grand Slams. ... That's the only way I see it can be fixed.''

Trungelliti was peppered with questions about the case after he quit his first-round U.S. Open match this week because of an abdomen and rib injury. He acknowledged the stress the notoriety has taken on him, but added it's also clear to him more must be done to wipe out corruption in tennis.

In 2015, Trungelliti got involved after he reported to officials that a would-be fixer tried to contact him on Facebook. That led to a probe of the three other players, the best known of whom was Nicolas Kicker, who at No. 84 is the highest-ranked player penalized so far in the sport's probe.

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{blackbabes} Tell Me a Story Taps Garcelle Beauvais to Play Wicked Stepmother in Season 2

 

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Garcelle Beauvais is breaking bad for Tell Me a Story: The TV veteran is joining Season 2 of the CBS All Access fairy-tale drama to play a wicked stepmother, according to our sister site Deadline.

The second season of the Kevin Williamson-led series will center on a trio of fairy-tale princesses from the classic tales Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. Beauvais will recur as hard-charging businesswoman Veronica Garland, who marries a widower and wastes no time in pushing aside his Cinderella-esque daughter, played by Revenge alum Ashley Madekwe.

Tell Me a Story is also bringing back Paul Wesley for a key role in Season 2, along with new cast additions Carrie-Ann Moss and Matt Lauria. Season 2 is slated to hit CBS All Access later this year. Beauvais first made her name on the small screen alongside Jamie Foxx on the comedian's self-titled WB sitcom, and moved on to play ADA Valerie Heywood on ABC's Emmy-winning drama NYPD Blue. More recently, the actress appeared on Freeform's mermaid drama Siren and Syfy's The Magicians, along with roles on Chicago Med, Grimm and Franklin & Bash.

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{blackbabes} Naomie Harris Joins HBO & Sky Mystery Drama ‘The Third Day’

 

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Naomie Harris (Moonlight) is set as a lead, joining Jude Law in HBO and Sky drama The Third Day, produced by Sky Studios and Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment. Additionally BAFTA Award-winning director Philippa Lowthorpe will direct three episodes of the series, joining previously announced director Marc Munden.

Created by Felix Barrett and Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Pulling), The Third Day is a story told over six episodes and in two distinct halves. The first – Summer, directed by Munden, sees Sam (Law), a man drawn to a mysterious island off the British coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost. The second – Winter, directed by Lowthorpe, follows Helen (Harris), a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island seeking answers, but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.

The Third Day is a co-production between HBO and Sky. It is the first original drama to be produced by Sky's new production house, Sky Studios, in partnership with Plan B Entertainment, Punchdrunk International and writer Kelly (Utopia, Pulling).

"Filming for The Third Day has begun and it's been a remarkable experience seeing our shared vision come to life," said Barrett. "We've followed both Naomie's and Philippa's careers for several years, and we are thrilled they will be joining the production."

Kelly executive produces with Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner for Plan B, Barrett for Punchdrunk International, Munden and Lowthorpe. Adrian Sturges serves as producer. Kit de Waal and Dean O'Loughlin also are writers for the series.

The six-part limited series will air next year on HBO in the US and on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW TV in the UK and Ireland.

Harris recently wrapped production on the Sony/Screen Gems film, Black and Blue, set for release in October. She is currently in production on Cary Fukunaga's Bond 25, reprising her role as Eve Moneypenny. Harris' performance as a crack-addicted mother in Barry Jenkins' Oscar-winning film Moonlight earned her Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA and Academy Award nominations as well as the Best Supporting Actress Award at the London Critics Circle Awards. Harris is repped by Untitled, The Artists Partnership, WME and Ziffen Brittenham.

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{blackbabes} US Open Glance: Serena meets teenager McNally on Day 3

 

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NEW YORK (AP) -- A quick look at the U.S. Open:

LOOKAHEAD TO WEDNESDAY

Two nights after beating a fellow Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams faces a young American player who hopes to someday be one. Williams faces 17-year-old Caty McNally in Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion routed Maria Sharapova on the opening night of the tournament. The same night, McNally got her first victory in the main draw of a Grand Slam after receiving wild cards into the tournament for singles and doubles, where she will team with fellow teenage star Coco Gauff. Venus Williams is also in action against No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina, while the men's slate includes defending champion Novak Djokovic in the leadoff match on Ashe at night, and five-time champion Roger Federer in the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY'S FORECAST

Chance of rain. High of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).

TUESDAY'S WEATHER

Mostly cloudy. High of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).

TUESDAY'S KEY RESULTS

Men's first round: No. 2 Rafael Nadal beat John Millman 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; Thomas Fabbiano beat No. 4 Dominic Thiem 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; No. 6 Alexander Zverev beat Radu Albot 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2; Andrey Rublev beat No. 8 Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 7-5; Vasek Pospisil beat No. 9 Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3; Mikhail Kukushkin beat No. 10 Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Denis Shapovalov beat No. 18 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-1, 6-4; No. 28 Nick Kyrgios beat Steve Johnson 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-4.

Women's first round: No. 1 Naomi Osaka beat Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2; No. 4 Simona Halep beat Nicole Gibbs 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; No. 6 Petra Kvitova beat Denisa Allertova 6-2, 6-4; No. 9 Aryna Sabalenka beat Victoria Azarenka 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Anna Kalinskaya beat No. 11 Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-4; No. 15 Bianca Andreescu beat Katie Volynets 6-2, 6-4; No. 19 Caroline Wozniacki beat Wang Yafan 1-6, 7-5, 6-3; Coco Gauff beat Anastasia Potapova 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

STAT OF THE DAY

15 - Age of Coco Gauff, making her the first player to win a main-draw match at the U.S. Open before turning 16 since CiCi Bellis in 2014.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

''I feel like I'm doing the same thing over and over again, and my brain can't really take it anymore. I feel like I'm doing the same routines on the court, the same execution, the same - I mean, same strategies and everything. And I feel like my mind is just - I don't feel inspired.'' - Stefanos Tsitsipas, after losing in the first round for the second straight major tournament.

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{blackbabes} Serena, Djokovic, Federer face upstarts in US Open 2nd round

 

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Serena Williams' matchup against 17-year-old American Caty McNally heads a lineup of second-round contests that similarly pit established champions against hungry upstarts.

The eighth-seeded Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champ, will be heavily favored in the nightcap in Arthur Ashe Stadium against McNally, who is ranked No. 121 and got her first victory in a Grand Slam event after receiving a wild card to play singles and doubles with fellow teenage star Coco Gauff.

Defending men's champ and top seed Novak Djokovic is in the leadoff night match in Ashe, taking on 56th-ranked Juan Ignacio Londero after third-seeded Roger Federer plays 99th-ranked Damir Dzumhur.

Other key matches on Wednesday include Venus Williams against No. 5 Elina Svitolina, and No. 2 Ash Barty taking on 73rd-ranked American Lauren Davis.

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{blackbabes} US Open Glance: Serena meets teenager McNally on Day 3

 

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NEW YORK (AP) -- A quick look at the U.S. Open:

LOOKAHEAD TO WEDNESDAY

Two nights after beating a fellow Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams faces a young American player who hopes to someday be one. Williams faces 17-year-old Caty McNally in Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion routed Maria Sharapova on the opening night of the tournament. The same night, McNally got her first victory in the main draw of a Grand Slam after receiving wild cards into the tournament for singles and doubles, where she will team with fellow teenage star Coco Gauff. Venus Williams is also in action against No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina, while the men's slate includes defending champion Novak Djokovic in the leadoff match on Ashe at night, and five-time champion Roger Federer in the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY'S FORECAST

Partly cloudy. High of 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), with a chance of showers.

TUESDAY'S WEATHER

Mostly cloudy. High of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius).

TUESDAY'S KEY RESULTS

Men's first round: Thomas Fabbiano beat No. 4 Dominic Thiem 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; No. 6 Alexander Zverev beat Radu Albot 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2; Andrey Rublev beat No. 8 Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 7-5; Mikhail Kukushkin beat No. 10 Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Denis Shapovalov beat No. 18 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-1, 6-4.

Women's first round: No. 1 Naomi Osaka beat Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-2; No. 4 Simona Halep beat Nicole Gibbs 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; No. 6 Petra Kvitova beat Denisa Allertova 6-2, 6-4; No. 15 Bianca Andreescu beat Katie Volynets 6-2, 6-4; No. 19 Caroline Wozniacki beat Wang Yafan 1-6, 7-5, 6-3; Coco Gauff beat Anastasia Potapova 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

STAT OF THE DAY

15 - Age of Coco Gauff, making her the first player to win a main-draw match at the U.S. Open before turning 16 since CiCi Bellis in 2014.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

''I feel like I'm doing the same thing over and over again, and my brain can't really take it anymore. I feel like I'm doing the same routines on the court, the same execution, the same - I mean, same strategies and everything. And I feel like my mind is just - I don't feel inspired.'' - Stefanos Tsitsipas, after losing in the first round for the second straight major tournament.

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{blackbabes} Back at US Open, Serena beats Sharapova for 19th time in row

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Serena Williams was not about to let Maria Sharapova make a match of this.

So facing a break point early in the second set, Williams conjured up a backhand passing shot so good, so powerful, so precise, that Sharapova had no chance to reach it. Williams watched the ball land in, then raised a clenched left fist toward the night sky.

In her first match at the U.S. Open since last year's loss in a chaotic, controversial final, Williams stretched her winning streak against Sharapova to 19 matches with a nearly flawless performance that produced a 6-1, 6-1 victory devoid of drama Monday night.

Asked whether she could even imagine losing that many matches in a row across 15 years against one opponent, Williams paused for a moment, then replied: ''Gosh, I never thought about it like that.''

She now leads their head-to-head series 20-2.

''Every time I come up against her,'' Williams said, ''I just bring out some of my best tennis.''

Sure did this time; the whole thing lasted all of 59 minutes.

Williams won twice as many points, 56-28. She saved all five break points she faced and lashed serves at up to 115 mph. She broke five times.

''I always said her ball somehow lands in my strike zone,'' Williams said. ''I don't know. It's just perfect for me.''

Few players would have stood a chance against Williams the way she was hitting balls deep and true - and certainly not a diminished Sharapova, who is ranked just 87th after missing much of this season with a bad right shoulder that needed surgery. This was a showdown fit for a final, at least in theory: These two met in a title match at each of the other three Grand Slam tournaments but never had faced each other in New York.

Williams arrived at Flushing Meadows, where she's won six titles, accompanied by questions about her back, because spasms that flared up this month forced her to stop playing during the final of one hard-court tuneup tournament and pull out of another one entirely.

Didn't seem to be an issue against Sharapova.

Not one bit.

''The body's good. I feel good,'' Williams said. ''My back's a lot better. So I'm excited. This is going to be fun.''

A year ago, she was beaten by Naomi Osaka in straight sets in a U.S. Open final that devolved after a back-and-forth between Williams and chair umpire Carlos Ramos. When Williams was asked Monday night what she thought of the U.S. Tennis Association's decision that Ramos would not officiate any match involving her or her older sister, Venus, at this year's tournament, this was the reply: ''I don't know who that is.''

LOL, as the kids say.

Williams was calm and cool as can be against Sharapova, only rarely showing the slightest hint of emotion with a cry of ''Come on!'' or the occasional fist pump, such as the one after the key backhand on break point.

Sharapova called that shot ''great.''

It shaped up, at least, as far and away the most intriguing matchup on Day 1 at the year's last Grand Slam tournament.

Few athletes in any sport have been as popular in recent decades.

Williams owns 23 major singles title, Sharapova five.

Both have a career Grand Slam.

Both have been ranked No. 1.

So, yes, there were plenty of other matches around the grounds Monday, with No. 1 Novak Djokovic opening defense of his title with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Roberto Carballes Baena, and 21-year-old American Reilly Opelka providing the biggest upset of the afternoon in his U.S. Open debut by eliminating No. 11 Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3. Roger Federer, owner of a men's-record 20 major trophies, faced 190th-ranked qualifier Sumit Nagal of India, at night.

And, sure, 2016 champion Angelique Kerber continued her rough Grand Slam year with a first-round exit against Kristina Mladenovic by a 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 score, while 2016 runner-up Karolina Pliskova and reigning French Open title winner Ash Barty both struggled through rough starts before emerging to win.

The Williams family only dropped a total of three games in two matches Monday, because Venus beat Zheng Saisai 6-1, 6-0 earlier.

Nothing brought out the spectators the way Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova did, with full-throated roars greeting them when they walked from the locker room into a dimly lit stadium.

When the lights came on, Williams proved far more ready for prime time.

Only once before had Sharapova lost a night match in Arthur Ashe Stadium, going 22-1 until Monday.

''I've had a lot of tough matches here and a lot of tough losses,'' Williams told the crowd afterward, ''but coming out here tonight makes it all worthwhile.''

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