NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Venus Williams clocked the fastest women’s serve of the U.S. Open in overpowering Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3 6-1 in the first round at Flushing Meadows yesterday.
Williams withdrew from the U.S. Open last year shortly before her second-round match against Sabine Lisicki and revealed she had Sjogren’s syndrome.
After a long and difficult battle to control the autoimmune disease, she is back in the second round but has a tough assignment against the sixth-seed Angelique Kerber from Germany.
Williams lost the first two games to Mattek-Sands before showing glimpses of the form that has earned her seven major titles. She landed a first serve of 124 mph (199.5km/h) – the quickest of the women’s tournament to date.