Serena overcomes Kovinic’s challenge; Halep bows out

American tennis star Serena Williams, four weeks shy of her 41st birthday and playing in her last career event, overcame Danka Kovinic of Montenegro 6-3, 6-3 to secure a place in the second round of the US Open on Tuesday (IST).
Serena will play No.2 seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia on Wednesday.
The winner of 23 singles titles at majors, Serena has now won 107 matches in New York, and 102 of them have come in Arthur Ashe Stadium, according to wtatennis.com
Meanwhile, in the first major upset at this year’s US Open, qualifier Daria Snigur of Ukraine overcame Romania’s Simona Halep in three sets to reach the second round. The 20-year-old Snigur, playing only her third WTA-level match and first at a major, upset the Romanian 6-2, 0-6, 6-4. “I’m very happy,” she said. “I’m very, very, very nervous,” she added. “But I tried to do my best.”