NEW YORK — In her first match at the U.S. Open since last year’s loss in a chaotic, controversial final, Serena Williams played nearly perfect tennis and beat Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-1 in a contest devoid of drama on Monday.
Williams stretched her winning streak to 19 matches against Sharapova and now leads their head-to-head series 20-2.
“Every time I come up against her,” Williams said, “I just bring out some of my best tennis.”
She sure did this time. The whole thing lasted all of 59 minutes. Williams won twice as many points, 56-28. She saved all five break points she faced and lashed serves at up to 115 mph. She broke five times.
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Few players would have stood a chance against Williams the way she performed — and certainly not a diminished Sharapova, who is ranked just 87th after missing much of this season with a bad right shoulder.
“She would win the title, playing like this,” 18-time major champion Chris Evert said of Williams on ESPN’s telecast.
Williams arrived at Flushing Meadows, where she has won six titles, accompanied by questions about her back because spasms that flared up earlier this month forced her to stop playing during the final of one hard-court tune-up tournament and withdraw from another.
That didn’t seem to be an issue against Sharapova.
“The body’s good. I feel good,” Williams said. “My back’s a lot better. So I’m excited. This is going to be fun.”
Williams was as calm and cool as can be against Sharapova, only rarely showing emotion with a cry of “Come on!” or by raising a clenched left fist after the shot of the night, a backhand passing winner that saved a break point early in the second set.
“That was definitely a big point for me,” Williams said. “She’s the kind of player that gets momentum, and she starts going. I was really excited that I hit that winner.”
It shaped up as far and away the most intriguing matchup on Day 1 at the year’s last Grand Slam tournament.
Few athletes in any sport have been as popular in recent decades. Williams owns 23 major singles title and Sharapova five. Both have a career Grand Slam. Both have been ranked No. 1.
Although there were several other matches involving big-time players on Monday, nothing brought out the spectators the way Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova did, with full-throated roars greeting them when they walked from the locker room into a dimly lit stadium.
When the lights came on, Williams proved far more ready for prime time.
Only once before had Sharapova lost a night match in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I’ve had a lot of tough matches here and a lot of tough losses,” she told the crowd afterward, “but coming out here tonight makes it all worthwhile.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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