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“This is the pinnacle of tennis for me,” Ben Shelton declared into the stadium microphone at storming through a decisive win against Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse 6-3,6-2, 6-4 in an exciting two-hour, seven-minute victory.
Shelton also noted that his girlfriend, Trinity Rodman, daughter of basketball great Dennis Rodman, “took the red eye from California to be here” to watch the match along with his father and coach Bryan Shelton and the rest of his family.
Shelton faces Spain’s World No. 10 Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round.
Chicago native Taylor Townsend used her powerful serve and forehand to defeat rising Croatian star Antonia Ruzic, 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round. She’ll face Latvian Grand Slam winner Jelena Ostapenka in the second round.
Venus Williams brought the crowd to their feet in an emotional show of support on Opening Night in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Despite her first-round defeat to Karolina Muchova, the 45-year-old Grand Slam Legend said she was “very proud” of the level of her playing. At times, there were flashes of the lightning-fast returns that were the hallmarks of her groundbreaking career.
“For me, getting back on the court was about giving myself a chance to play more healthy,” she said, her eyes beginning to well with tears. “I trained relentlessly. Never seeing friends or even going out to dinner.”
Overcome with emotion, her post-match press conference was cut short. This was William’s first Grand Slam match in two years after battling multiple health issues.
Audiences have not seen the last of Venus. The two-time US Open women’s doubles champion will also compete in the 2025 US Open Women’s Doubles Championship after receiving a wild card entry with Leylah Fernandez
For more tennis highlights and scores, visit US Open.org.
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