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Serena
Williams has matched Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam singles
titles with her triumph at Wimbledon ©Roberto Schmidt (AFP)
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Serena Williams once
again arrives at Flushing Meadows poised to rewrite the tennis record books --
if her own troublesome right shoulder and increasingly emboldened rivals allow.
AFP
report continues:
The
34-year-old US superstar matched Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam
singles titles with her triumph at Wimbledon in July.
With
a seventh US Open triumph she can break Graf's record, and continue her march
toward Australian Margaret Court's all-time mark of 24 Grand Slam titles.
She
could also break Graf's record of 186 consecutive weeks atop the world
rankings, and surpass Chris Evert for most US Open singles titles won in the
Open Era.
But
after seeing a frustrating year go by between her 21st Grand Slam win and No.
22, Williams said she'd learned to let history take care of itself.
"I
learned not to get involved in those debates and conversations," Williams
said after her straight-sets victory over Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon
final.
"I
definitely had some sleepless nights ... I've just felt a lot of
pressure."
When
the final Grand Slam of the year gets underway on Monday, the pressure could be
on again.
Williams'
bid to retain her Olympic singles title ended in Rio de Janeiro this month when
she was sent crashing out of the third round by Elina Svitolina.
Williams
was clearly hindered by the shoulder injury that had forced her out of the
Montreal WTA tournament as she served up eight double faults and 37 unforced
errors in the straight-sets defeat.
Since
then she has withdrawn from her WTA title defence in Cincinnati, saying the
inflammation in her shoulder "continues to be a challenge".
If
Williams isn't at full strength, Kerber is just one of the players poised to
pounce.
- Kerber closing in -
The
German defeated Williams in the Australian Open final in January. Seeded second
in New York, she is one of three players with a chance to seize the number one
ranking if Williams falters.
Kerber,
28, boasts a title at Stuttgart, an Olympic silver medal and finals appearances
at Brisbane in January and this month in Cincinnati -- where she missed her
first chance to supplant Williams atop the rankings.
Being
viewed as a legitimate threat to Williams, Kerber said, "is really
special".
"Because
Serena is one of the best players and athletes in the world," she said.
"Of course it's really special that a lot of people are speaking about her
and then speaking about me."
Third-seeded
Spaniard Garbine Muguruza also has a shot at the top, although the 22-year-old
who stunned Williams in the French Open final will need her best US Open ever
to do so.
In
three main-draw appearances she has won just one match. Turning around her
Flushing Meadows fortunes would further her aim of establishing herself as more
than "the girl that beat Serena" at Roland Garros.
"I
want to really do well there," the Spaniard said. "Hopefully this is
the year."
Fourth-seeded
Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland also has an outside chance at the world number
one ranking if she can claim her first Grand Slam title.
Like
Radwanska, Romanian fifth seed Simona Halep is seeking a Grand Slam
breakthrough while sixth-seeded Venus Williams, who counts two US Open
victories among her seven Grand Slam singles titles, is one of a handful of
former champions among the seeds.
That
includes 2004 winner Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia and Australian Samantha
Stosur -- who toppled Serena in the 2011 final.
Last year's US Open champion Flavia Pennetta of Italy will not defend her title after retiring at the end of last year.
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