Serena wins first 8 games, advances to 2nd round after Diatchenko retires

There wasn't much drama in the opening of Serena Williams' calendar Grand Slam bid.

In her first-round match at the US Open on Monday evening, Williams faced an overmatched and plainly injured Vitalia Diatchenko, winning the first eight games before the world No. 86 retired.

Diatchenko, who had surgery on her left Achilles tendon this spring, didn't look right from the outset. She was hardly moving; hitting awkward, off-balance groundstrokes; and tossing in soft, straight-armed serves without leaving her feet.

Williams won the first set in 12 minutes. Diatchenko's injury timeout before the second took nearly as long. By the time she called it quits down 0-2 in the second, she had won just five points.

It was a difficult moment for the 25-year-old Russian, who before the tournament was looking forward to showing what she could do against the best player in the world.

"For me, it's a chance to feel how I can play with her, and try to play my best," Diatchenko said. So in one way, I'm happy. ... I just want to play pain-free and play as good as I can."

As some noted after the match, she may not have played at all if not for the paycheck she would have surrendered by pulling out.

In any case, Williams is through to the second round, now six matches away from making (more) tennis history.