Nigeria Content Online

Seven-times major
winner Venus Williams is choosing to accentuate the positives in her
return to competition at the U.S. Open after sitting out two months
with a left knee injury.

Thrilled to be back
on centre stage inside Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first test since the
Wimbledon quarter-finals, Williams dispatched Italy’s Roberta Vinci 6-4
6-1 as the curtain went up on night action at the Open.

“This is the event
to come to, you know, New York, the opening night of the U.S. Open,”
the 30-year-old Williams told reporters. “It’s really an honour. I love
doing it. I’ve had the opportunity on a lot of occasions. Everyone’s
watching.” Williams treated the opening night crowd to some of her
trademark power, belting 10 aces, and a lacy black party dress with
fringe on the bottom that befit the occasion.

Rustiness

While her look was picture-perfect, Williams was not sure her preparation would prove first rate.

“Not having played
any matches wasn’t ideal,” she admitted. “Obviously, practice is so
much different from a match. I felt like I was hitting well in
practice, but to translate into a match is something completely
different.

“But I think I
handled it well and I’m just looking to build momentum going to the
next matches.” Williams tried to focus on the positives.

“I guess my only
advantage would be that I’m hopefully mentally a lot fresher and
physically, hopefully, a lot fresher than maybe my opponents who played
all summer,” she said.

“You know, I’ve got
to try to look at it in a positive way and bank on my experience. That
helps a lot because I’ve had a lot of winning experience,” the twice
U.S. champion said.

Williams said she
regretted the absence of her sister and doubles partner, world number
one Serena Williams, who had to skip the Open because of a foot injury.

She said she loves
to play doubles with her sister and would have been sorely tempted to
join forces with her in Flushing Meadows, especially after they came up
short together at Wimbledon, even though it would have been hard on her
knee.

Even that disappointment was turned into a positive. Asked if it
would be better for her knee that she is not playing doubles at the
Open, Williams replied with a smile: “Absolutely.”