Serena rips foe; Murray survives 5-set grind

MANILA, Philippines — Serena Williams’ quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam got off the mark as Andy Murray rolled back the years with a vintage comeback at the US Open Tuesday.

Six-time winner Williams powered past 96th-ranked Kristie Ahn after Murray came from two sets down to win a five-set thriller in his first singles Slam match in 18 months.

The pair both progressed to the second round on day two of a US Open that is unrecognizable from previous tournaments, without spectators and with stringent measures to prevent Covid-19 infections.

Williams defeated Ahn, 7-5, 6-3, as she started the latest bid of her protracted pursuit to match Margaret Court’s Grand Slam title with a straight-sets win at Flushing Meadows.

The 38-year-old overcame the loss of her first service game in the opening set to advance at a virtually empty Arthur Ashe Stadium, where artwork by black artists is displayed in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement against racial injustice.

“I was really happy with how I just fought for every point no matter how I was playing,” said Williams.

It has been more than three years since Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open – when she was already pregnant with daughter Olympia.

World number one Ashleigh Barty, the second-ranked Simona Halep and Canadian Bianca Andreescu – who stunned Williams in last year’s final – are all absent from the behind-closed-doors tournament.

Meanwhile, Murray secured a stunning 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 come-from-behind victory in a bruising four-hour and 39-minute encounter against Japan’s 49th-ranked Yoshihito Nishioka.

The Scotsman, who has barely played in 2020, said he had learnt a lot about his physical condition and the metal hip he received during surgery last year.

“I’ve just played a four-and-a-half hour match when I never thought I’d be able to,” he told reporters.

“I’m not sitting here with my hip throbbing and aching. I’ll be able to sleep fine tonight,” Murray added.