#Serena Williams’ quest for 24th Grand Slam starts with rough US Open draw

Williams’ march to a potential record-tying 24th Grand Slam title won’t be a cupcake ride early on.

The 38-year-old tennis legend from Compton, Calif. got stuck in a nasty quarter of the U.S. Open draw with No. 7 seed Madison Keys, No. 22 Amanda Anisimova and No. 26 Sloane Stephens.

Williams’ trip to Flushing hasn’t gone smoothly and she has no raucous cheering section to prod her. She was bounced in the third round Tuesday, losing in three sets to Maria Sakkari in the Western & Southern Open tuneup that was moved to fan-less Queens because of the pandemic.

After dropping the third set, 6-1, Serena said her collapse was “like dating a guy you know sucks.’’ Williams also lost in the prior WTA event in Louisville to No. 116-ranked Shelby Rogers.

“I started cramping, but I mean, I shouldn’t have been in that situation,’’ Williams said. “I don’t think that helps mentally when it’s like you know the match is over and you have won the match, and now your legs were already tired and now they are even more tired.’’

The Open draw was unveiled online Thursday with no ceremony because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Western & Southern Open action was also paused Thursday after Naomi Osaka’s boycott in following sports protests over this week’s police shooting in Kenosha, Wis.

Williams could face Stephens in the third round and the 2017 Open champion is dangerous when motivated. A potential fourth-round match could loom against Anisimova, who missed last year’s Open because of her father’s death. She’s equally formidable, a New Jersey product and considered a future champion. The quarterfinals could pit Williams against the Illinois slugger, Keys.

“It’s hard to play the way I have been playing and stay positive,’’ said Williams, attempting to tie Margaret Court for most Grand Slams ever. “And to play nine hours in a week is too much. I don’t usually play like that. It’s all new for me.”

Teen sensation Coco Gauff faces a tough seed in Round 1, No. 32 Anastasija Sevastova, who made the 2018 Open semifinals.

If she survives, Gauff, 16, could face Naomi Osaka in the third round. Osaka derailed Gauff’s inaugural Open run last year in the same round.

The men’s draw is watered down without the tandem of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer for the first time since 1999. That gives Novak Djokovic a legitimate chance to post his 18th Slam victory, which would leave him two behind Federer.

Second-seeded Dominic Thiem figured to be Djokovic’s toughest opponent but the Austrian ended up with a terrible quarter of the draw in hot No. 8 seed Roberto Bautista Agut and former Open champions Andy Murray and Marin Cilic.

For American interest, 6-foot-11 Reilly Opelka got a lousy draw in facing No. 6 seed David Goffin of Belgium.

Another compelling first-round matchup is No. 5 seed Alexander Zverev against 2017 Open finalist Kevin Anderson.