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| - Six-time winner Serena Williams enters the fray Tuesday at a US Open like no other, being played without spectators and with stringent measures to prevent Covid-19 infections. Williams continues her protracted pursuit of a record-equalling 24th singles Grand Slam title on day two at Flushing Meadows with a first-round tie against 96th-ranked Kristie Ahn. The 38-year-old will take to an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium that has been decorated with artwork by black artists in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement against racial injustice. Banners thanking essential workers who kept New York running during its coronavirus lockdown are also draped over seats. It has been more than three years since Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open -- when she was already pregnant with daughter Olympia. She has come close since, reaching four major finals only to come away empty-handed. Williams needs one more to equal Margaret Court's record and her chances should be improved by the absence of several top players because of coronavirus concerns or injury. World number one Ashleigh Barty, the second-ranked Simona Halep and Canadian Bianca Andreescu -- who stunned Williams in last year's final -- are all absent from the behind-closed doors tournament. A title win for Williams would also see her become the most decorated women's player at the US Open in the modern era. She is currently tied with Chris Evert for most US Open women's titles with six. In early matches Tuesday, tenth seed Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 French Open champion and 2017 Wimbledon winner, advanced to round two with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Japan's Nao Havino. She dedicated the win to her compatriot Carla Suarez Navarro who revealed Tuesday that she had been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and will require six months of chemotherapy. "You know, she's such a nice woman, so sweet, so kind, so humble. When these things happen to these good people, I feel, like, so sad about it," said Muguruza. Also in the women's draw, 16th seed Elise Mertens of Belgium cruised into the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Germany's Laura Siegemund. US hope Amanda Anisimova, seeded 22, also made sure of her place in the second round with a hard-fought win over Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova. In the men's competition, number two seed Dominic Thiem progressed to round two when opponent Jaume Munar retired after the second set. Number two seed Thiem appeared to be heading towards victory after taking a two sets to love lead on the Louis Armstrong Stadium. Munar abandoned before the start of the third set, with Austria's Thiem leading 7-6 (8/6), 6-3. Also Tuesday, former men's world number one and 2012 US Open champion Andy Murray is taking on Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka. Thiem and third seed Daniil Medvedev are high up in the draw due to the absence of Rafael Nadal, over coronavirus fears, and Swiss legend Roger Federer due to injury. Thiem of Austria and Medvedev of Russia enter the tournament after overwhelming favorite Novak Djokovic progressed to the second round in straight sets on Monday. The US Open is taking place in a spectator-free bubble at the US National Tennis Center in New York. Players movements are tightly controlled and everyone onsite is being tested regularly to minimize the risk of infection. France's Benoit Paire was withdrawn on the eve of the tournament Sunday after returning a positive test. pdh/rcw
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