Serena Williams: 'I was so happy for Andy Murray, although I had to wait for hours'

It is essential to finish the job as soon as possible at Majors, especially in the early rounds. The schedule can be tricky, though, mainly because the best-of-five encounters on the men's side of the draw, with potential five-hour battles and chaotic matches after them. The 23-time Major winner Serena Williams had to sit and wait on Tuesday, with Andy Murray and Yoshihito Nishioka playing for more than four and a half hours on Arthur Ashe Stadium! After an incredible battle, Murray performed a comeback from two sets to love down for the ninth time at Majors, avoiding an earlier US Open exit and advancing into the second round where he plays against the young gun Felix Auger-Aliassime. Serena stepped on the court after Andy and defeated Kristie Ahn in straight sets, saying she was rooting for her friend Andy, despite the fact it was a marathon clash and it would have been better for her had Nishioka won in straight sets.

Serena and Andy have been friends for years and they shared the court a year ago at Wimbledon, entering the mixed doubles draw together and reaching the third round, losing to Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar in three sets. A former US Open champion Andy Murray had to dig deep in the first round at the US Open, ousting Yoshihito Nishioka 4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 in four hours and 39 minutes after saving a match point! From 3-2 down in the first set, Nishioka grabbed eight of the next nine games, taking the opener and forging a 4-0 advantage in set number two, enough to bring it home. From 3-1 down in the third, Andy survived all the obstacles to reach the tie break and win it 7-5 to extend the action. In the fourth, the Briton fended off a match point at 5-6, taking another tie break and sealing the deal in the decider to find himself in the next round. 

Serena Williams had to wait for almost five hours to play her first round match. 

"Usually, when you're waiting for a match, someone is down two sets, you root for the person ahead so you can get on the court and get off. I was rooting for Andy the whole time; I wanted him to win. Gosh, when he was down in the third set, I was like, 'All right.' I was rooting for him so hard. I saw him give the racquet to his trainer. There's Andy; he plans on playing five sets here. I was happy for him; I love his grit. I've always loved that, way before we played doubles. I always said he reminds me a lot of myself. I'm just a big fan. It was good because I know what it's like to be down or injured. I know what it's like to be counted out. I felt like it was a real gutsy win for him, and I was delighted," Serena Williams said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/32P7AUJ