Serena Williams’ bid to finally land a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title may be boosted by the lack of fans at the US Open, says former world number three Pam Shriver.
Williams, 38, has lost her past four major finals when aiming to tie the record set by Margaret Court in 1973.
She lost the past two US Open finals to Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu.
“Without the crowds there, I wouldn’t be surprised if she actually feels a little less pressure,” said Shriver.
Williams, ranked ninth in the world, will be among the favourites to win in New York when the first Grand Slam since the start of the coronavirus pandemic takes place from 31 August.
Six of the women’s top 10 players, including world number one Ashleigh Barty and reigning champion Andreescu, will not play because of safety and travel concerns.
“I don’t think it devalues the tournament,” said Shriver, who reached the US Open singles final in 1978 and won five doubles titles at Flushing Meadows.
“Anybody that comes through and wins seven rounds, under the circumstances of living in a quarantine bubble, unable to do your normal thing you usually do at a major, it is going to be an incredible performance.”
American great Williams is looking for her first major title since the birth of her daughter, Olympia, in 2017, when she said she nearly died because of a series of complications.
No player has won more than her six US Open titles in the modern era, although edgy performances in the 2018 and 2019 finals have stopped her moving clear of Chris Evert at Flushing Meadows and levelling Australian Court’s all-time tally.
