Venus was slightly rusty, not having played since her disappointing loss at Wimbledon, but was still in good enough form to display some of what earned her the U.S. Open title, two times over. Her powerful groundstrokes, booming serve, and ability to find the lines of the court kept Vinci off balance for much of the match. The final score was 6-4, 6-1.
“Playing the opening night is a big deal. It’s usually always sold out … it’s really an honor and I love doing it,” she said after winning.
Confidence is critical in the game of tennis, both to produce the best results for self as well as to instill fear and intimidation in the hearts of opponents. Venus is typically quiet and docile, but on the court last night, she had swagger that says “this match is mine.”
The Williams sisters are favorites in New York, for the most part, but for the sake of a good match — I hope, the crowd cheered the loudest for Venus’ opponent. But to no avail.
Also, true to form, Venus sported another outfit from her Eleven line, which she called her “night wear.” It was a continuation of her theme of “lace on the court,” she said. The dress was a shimmery black with fringes around the bottom, reminiscent of the can-can outfit that the press went nuts over during the French Open. The crowd approved of this one … they cheered when she described it.
As for playing without her sister, she said “it is lonely without Serena, but at least one of us is here to get it do the best we can.” She’s on to the second round.
