New York: Former world number one Serena Williams started her quest to win a record 24th Grand Slam singles trophy by beating Kristie Ahn in the first round at the U.S. Open.
The two Americans split the first 10 games before Williams pulled away to win 7-5, 6-3. The victory was her 102nd at the tournament, breaking the tie she held with Chris Evert for the most by a woman in the Open era.
Williams hit 13 aces and lost only six points on her first serve.
Williams, who turns 39 this month, has won the tournament six times and has been runner-up each of the past two years. She's seeded No. 3 and hoping to tie Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
The 38-year-old had last won a Grand Slam in 2017 as she had emerged triumphant in the Australian Open.
After that particular victory, she has been stranded on 23 Grand Slam wins and is chasing her 24th title.
Williams will next face Margarita Gasparyan in the second round of the US Open on Thursday, September 3.
Meanwhile, Gasparyan had defeated Monica Puig 6-3, 6-7, 6-0 in the first round of the ongoing US Open.
Wild card J.J. Wolf pulled off an upset at the U.S. Open, beating 29th-seeded Guido Pella 6-2, 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round.
The 21-year-old Wolf is in the main draw for the first time. Pella reached the third round of the U.S. Open in 2018 and the third round of the Australian Open earlier this year
