NEW YORK — Serena Williams trounced old foe Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-1 in their blockbuster first-round clash at the US Open on Monday to get her quest for a record-tying 24^th Grand Slam title off to a flying start.

Williams, returning to the US Open after last year’s infamous final in which her row with the chair umpire overshadowed Naomi Osaka’s maiden Grand Slam victory, used her trademark power to overwhelm Sharapova in the first New York meeting between two of the sport’s biggest names.

Eighth seed Williams showed no signs of the back spasms that forced her to retire in tears from the Toronto final two weeks ago and instead showcased some of her best on-court movement since returning from maternity leave in 2018.

“I just feel like her game really matches up well against mine,” said Williams, who improved to 20-2 in career meetings with the Russian. “I always said her ball somehow lands in my strike zone. I don’t know. It’s just perfect for me.”

The rivals, who have had a frosty relationship that dates back to 2004 when Sharapova earned her breakout win against Williams in that year’s Wimbledon final, came out firing right from the start.

Sharapova did her best to trade big shots with Williams but it quickly became apparent she simply did not have the same high gear she used to collect five Grand Slam titles.

The Russian has fallen to 87^th in the rankings during an injury-hit season that included shoulder surgery in February.

Williams, dialed-in throughout the 59-minute encounter, got the first break of the match to go ahead 3-1 and that appeared to free up the six-time champion’s playing style as she did not give Sharapova any chance to wrestle away momentum.

The 37-year-old Williams, facing Sharapova for the first time since the 2016 Australian Open, kept pressing and grabbed a double-break for a 5-1 lead and went on to serve out the set.

Sharapova had a glorious chance to break Williams and work her way back into the match in the fourth game of the second set but at 15-40 she let the opportunity pass her by.

The Russian sent a service return into the net on her first chance before Williams fought off the next one with a sublime backhand winner that whizzed past a charging Sharapova.

She had three more break points while trailing 4-1 but was unable to convert.

“I went through a shoulder procedure about four months ago. To find myself playing at a night match at the US Open with people excited about the matchup, it’s a pretty big deal. I’m fortunate to be a part of that,” said Sharapova.

“It’s easy to be discouraged after a match like this. But if I’m personally discouraged, I wake up tomorrow, I don’t feel like I want to go out, train, be better, that’s more discouraging than the result.”

Williams will next face Catherine McNally after the American wildcard beat Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 6-4 6-1 earlier in the day. — Reuters

NEW YORK — Roger Federer gave India’s Sumit Nagal a harsh introduction to Grand Slam tennis as the five-time champion weathered an early storm for a 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 win on Monday to reach the second round of the US Open.

When the match began it was Federer who surprisingly looked intimidated under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights as he sprayed errors all around the court but the Swiss great woke from his slumber in time to turn the match resoundingly in his favor.

“I thought I played like my beard today, I was rusty,” Federer, who was sporting a few days worth of stubble, said in his on-court interview.

“I’m going to clean it up for my next match.”

World number 190 Nagal, who has never earned a tour-level victory and only qualified for the year’s final Grand Slam last week, came out swinging and even put a rare look of incredulity on the faces of those inside third seed Federer’s box.

The 22-year-old Indian used impressive court coverage and sent heavily-spinning shots over the net during his dream start but his legs started to look more wobbly as the match wore and Federer righted the ship.

Still, the start to the match for former world number one Federer, who is chasing his first New York title since 2008, could hardly have been worse as he made 19 unforced errors in the first set.

Federer, playing in his first Grand Slam since he failed to convert two championship points on his own serve against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, was down 0-40 while serving for the match but won six of the next seven points to hold for the win.

The 38-year-old Swiss only played two hardcourt matches in his leadup to the US Open and admitted that he may have been a little rusty adjusting to the hardcourt but chose to focus on the positives.

“Maybe it’s not a bad thing to go through a match like this. It was very similar at Wimbledon when I dropped the first set there, as well, in the first round,” said Federer.

“At the end you look at the last three sets, and they were good. That’s encouraging.”

After the match Federer heaped praise on his opponent for the performance he managed to deliver on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

“Never easy to come out and play your best. Even though it’s kind of what you live for, you dream about, playing on the big stage. So I think he did that very well,” said Federer.

“He knows what he can bring. That’s why I think he’s going to have a very solid career.”

Up next for Federer, who is seeking a record-extending 21^st career Grand Slam title, will be Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur, who beat Frenchman Elliot Benchetrit earlier on Monday.

Federer owns a 2-0 record in career meetings with Dzumhur, having beaten him in the third round at the 2015 French Open and in the first round at Wimbledon the same year. — Reuters