New York (AFP)
No warm-up round at the US Open for American Serena Williams who, in her quest for a 24th Grand Slam title record, will face in the first round the Russian Maria Sharapova, also ex-N. 1 World and Flushing Meadows winner, according to the draw held Thursday in New York.
The youngest Williams sis, now 8th in the world, will be looking for her 7th title at the US Open at the age of 37. She leads 19 wins to 2 in her duels with Sharapova, now 87th in the WTA rankings.
Finalist at Wimbledon in July and Flushing Meadows last year, Williams hopes to equal at home the record of 24 Grand Slam titles held by Margaret Court.
Serena Williams won the US Open in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014, while Sharapova, 32, won in 2006.
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