Serena Williams begins her quest for back-to-back U.S. Open titles tonight, as the last tennis major of the year starts today.
Williams has been on a roll this season, going on a 34-match win streak that spanned from March to June and included five titles including the 2013 French Open, earning the top seed for the U.S. Open.
Williams is set to play 2010 French Open winner Francesca Schiavone in the nightcap of the first day of the tournament, with a performance by Grammy Award winner Lenny Kravitz, after the opening ceremony.
"I'm always tying to do a little better," said Williams about the prospects of adding her 17th major title to her trophy case. "I feel like I could have done better. But hey, just got to keep positive."
Roger Federer is also slated to play on prime-time, taking on Slovakia's Grega Zemlja. The five-time U.S. Open winner was ranked seventh coming into the tournament, marking the first time the Swiss tennis champion has been seeded outside the top five in any Grand Slam tournament in over decade.
Federer has struggled this year, as compared to the high-level of play which has dominated the sport for years, and hopes to bounce back with a U.S. Open title. Despite playing through back problems, Federer still believes he can make his presence felt in New York City.
"It doesn't take much for things to go your way, all of a sudden," said Federer. "That's why you've always got to keep believing."
Also scheduled for Day 1 action are Rafael Nadal, Venus Williams, Madison Keys, and Jamie Hampton. Day 1 of the U.S. Open starts today at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, New York.
Live Television Coverage
The U.S. Open can be seen Tennis Channel and ESPN 2 between 11 AM-7PM.
Live Stream (Online)
Live stream coverage can be seen on ESPN3 or US Open Live.
Live Stream (Radio)
Live stream coverage can be heard on USOpen.org.
Match Start Times
You can find Day One's schedule by clicking here.
Live Score
Live scores could be followed by clicking here.
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