Anett Kontaveit walked out of the players’ tunnel first, with barely a notice from the audience in Arthur Ashe Stadium, which was half full at the time. She made a small waving gesture, to no one in particular, and then went to her chair to prepare for her role as the villain in the biggest tennis spectacle of her life: the Serena Williams U.S. Open.
As Williams made her own appearance to thunderous applause moments later, Kontaveit never looked up or glanced over. She just continued to put on her wrist bands, drink water and select her first racket.