US Open 2017: Venus Williams leads American challenge on Day 1

Serena Williams is absent from this year’s US Open as she prepares to have her first child but if there is to be an American champion at Flushing Meadows again it is still likely to be a Williams.

With the American men experiencing their longest US Open title drought in the Open era, Venus Williams led the American charge into round two on Monday with a 6-3 3-6 6-2 win over Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia.

The 37-year-old, who last won the title in New York in 2002, is high on confidence after reaching two grand slam finals in 2017, in Australia and at Wimbledon.

“I feel like my game always rises a lot in the bigger events,” Williams told a news conference. “That’s what I feel like, like I’ll be ready to play when push comes to shove.”

Sloane Stephens continued her impressive return from a long-term absence with injury, beating Italy’s Roberta Vinci, the runner-up two years ago, 7-5 6-1.

“Before I got injured, I was playing some really good tennis,” the American said. “I think I knew it was going to take time, but I eventually wanted to get back to where I was. I didn’t think it would happen in the third …read more