NEW YORK ā Someone, of course, will end up in the history books as the last opponent of Serena Williamsā stellar career. It could be Danka Kovinic, a 27-year-old from Montenegro who is āhonoredā to be the first-round U.S. Open foe of someone she remembers watching on TV as a child.
Their match ā scheduled for Arthur Ashe Stadium at 7 p.m. on Monday night, Day 1 of the Grand Slam tournament that Williams has indicated will mark her farewell ā is the first time the two women have shared a court.
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Kovinicās reaction when she heard about the matchup from her coach: āI was happy; I wonāt lie.ā
āItās a privilege to share the court with Serena,ā Kovinic said in an interview at Flushing Meadows on Friday. āI just really hope that I can show my good game. Maybe my best game.ā
Theyāve crossed paths in tour locker rooms over the years, but Kovinic said she never got up the nerve to request a joint practice session.
āI was like, āOK, thatās Serena and I am Danka,āā said the 80th-ranked Kovinic, whose best Grand Slam results were reaching the third round at the Australian Open in January and French Open in May before losing at each to a major champion (Iga Swiatek in Melbourne; Simona Halep in Paris). āI didnāt feel like I could approach her to ask.ā
Other topics are, or will be, of interest over the coming two weeks, from renewed questions about whether it makes sense for women to use slightly different tennis balls than the men do at Flushing Meadows ā this is the only Grand Slam tournament that does that ā to Novak Djokovicās absence due to being unvaccinated against COVID-19, to Rafael Nadalās pursuit of a 23rd major title despite a recent recovery from a torn abdominal muscle, to Emma Raducanuās return to the site of her out-of-nowhere run from qualifier to Slam champion a year ago in New York.
And on and on.
But for now, and especially on Monday, nothing ā and no one ā in tennis matters as much as Williams.
ā Serena is an icon. If I wasnāt playing her on Monday, I wouldnāt have all this attention. Iām aware of that,ā Kovinic said. āSo itāll be a very nice experience and, at the same moment, maybe a little bit stressful. Of course I will feel pressure. But I will try to turn it into something positive.ā
What is she most eager to find out about Williamsā game?
āEverything,ā Kovinic said with a chuckle. āI know she hits hard, but I donāt know how different that is from the other girls I play.ā
Other players can imagine what these circumstances might feel like for Kovinic, who has a 2-4 career record at the U.S. Open ā 104 fewer match wins at the place than 23-time Grand Slam champ Williams, who turns 41 on Sept. 26.
āItās a tough one,ā said Caroline Garcia, who is seeded 17th and could meet Williams if both reach the semifinals. āDanka knows that sheās going to step on court with every single person there against her. When Serena was playing in the past, the atmosphere already was electric, so I canāt imagine what itāll be out there now."
Garcia is coming off a title last week at Cincinnati, where Williams lost her opening match 6-4, 6-0 to Raducanu.
āI couldnāt think about who was on the other side of the court, because I knew as soon as I did, my mind would probably start going,ā Raducanu said about taking on Williams. āSo I just had to take it, look at the ball, not think about anything else.ā
Kovinic says she generally tries to worry only about herself and her tactics, rather than whatās happening on the other side of the net.
No matter who is on the other side of the net.
Might be a tad different this time.
āItās like: I know what to expect,ā said Kovinic, the only woman to win a Grand Slam match while representing Montenegro. āAnd at the same time, I donāt know what to expect.ā
Fans who attend the match, or watch on TV, ādonāt know much about me,ā Kovinic said.
So she offered a bit of a scouting report: Like Williams ā well, maybe not quite like Williams, Kovinic said with a laugh ā she relies on a big first serve. She can win points with her forehand. She mixes spins.
Her biggest victory probably came against Raducanu in Australia this year.
āShe was really, really solid, was staying with you, counterpunching. Then, after you drop one short after a long rally, she would attack,ā Raducanu said.
Kovinic has never played a match in Ashe.
Never even hit a ball in the 23,771-capacity stadium, the largest Slam stage, although she was hoping to get the chance to practice there over the weekend. She did venture inside more than a decade ago, as a teen entered in the junior competition, to sit in the upper reaches of the stands and watch Kim Clijsters play.
āIt was spectacular,ā she said. āFrom up above, the court looks so tiny. I assume it will be a completely different feeling when I step on the ground down there.ā
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