Novak Djokovic ponders his own slam possibilities

“If I will not be in the finals, then I want her to win, ” said Halep, who routed Williams in last October’s end-of-season WTA championships.

But other players have their own aspirations.

Regardless of those meltdowns Williams remains “The Queen of Queens” because she’s won the U.S. Open six times since 1999.

Rafa Nadal, a 14-times grand slam singles victor, was also absorbed by the historical bid by Williams, who has won the last three titles at Flushing Meadows and would register an Open era record seventh US crown with another triumph. “It’s an incredible achievement, a Grand Slam“.

Fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark has won once in 11 meetings with the big-serving world number one.

It has been nearly 20 years since a teenage Serena Williams turned pro and overtook the lily-white world of tennis with her flying hair beads and powerful groundstrokes. In addition to the potential early challenge of Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, Serena could have to overcome countrywomen Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys in the third and fourth rounds respectively, with Bencic, her older sister Venus and Maria Sharapova also potentially on a collision course before the final.

After Laver captured his second Slam, he couldn’t have imagined no man would do it in the 46 years since.

“Unfortunately I will not be able to compete in this (year’s US) Open. If she brings her “A” game, I would think she’s going to win this thing, for sure”.

Perhaps her attitude is simply a reflection of the state of the women’s game, where Halep doesn’t boast the sort of resume typical of a player ranked that high.

While Serena can not go on forever, her legacy should continue with the next generation of players who have looked up to her and picked up a racquet amid her stunning run of 21 grand slam titles since 1999.

Sharapova did make the publicity rounds in the days before the US Open, including a photo shoot with a New York taxi and many of her rivals that noted her position at the front, well away from Williams and ex-boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov.

There’s just so many people that I think I would want to play.

British third seed Andy Murray is confident as he prepares to launch his latest US Open campaign Tuesday despite coach Amelie Mauresmo being absent on maternity leave. She has achieved the so-called “Serena Slam” twice in her career.

Williams’ athletic build has been a topic of discussion her entire career, sometimes in a flattering way, sometimes not. The well known 28-year-old Russian has not played at all since Wimbledon after she got a knee injury. I just sat down on the chair, but my eyes are fixed on this little kid, twitching impatiently next to his mom, is she finished already, I have this big fat tennis ball I really really need her to sign and my ice cream cone is melting.

“I am no longer involved in controversy”, she said. We have to step up, me and other players.

The 22-year-old had been 0-6 in semi-finals and had never reached a final in 83 previous tournaments before winning the Citi Open in Washington at the start of August.