Bernard Tomic (above) won a five-set match over Albert Ramos in the opening round of the U.S. Open yesterday. (UPI)
In a nod to her sterling U.S. Open debut in 1997, Venus Williams’ hair fluttered with pink braids and beads yesterday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. She is 33 now, coping with Sjogren’s Syndrome and likely nearing the end of her career.
Despite her spotty year and cloudy future, the unseeded Williams maintained one streak. She refused to lose in the first round here — not even against a seeded player who beat her two weeks ago in Toronto.
Williams moved to 15-0 in first-rounders at the Open, crushing the 12th-seeded Belgian, Kirsten Flipkens, 6-1, 6-2.
“It’s the first time since 1997 with the braids and beads,’’ Williams told the crowd afterward. “It’s good to be back.’’
It was a vintage Venus performance, her first serve carrying her. While her sister Serena is the favorite, no one expects a big run from Venus. She has played just 19 matches all year, and improved to 12-7.
“Serena motivates me,’’ Venus admitted.
Because of Sjogren’s, which causes fatigue, Williams is on a new vegan diet.
“I used to love steak, so I do miss that,’’ Williams said. “I’m a cheagan. I cheat a lot.’’
Williams’ struggles have stemmed from an inconsistent serve. Yesterday she put 52 percent of her first serves in.
“I think that made a huge difference,’’ Williams said. “I think I was serving in the 40 percentages all my matches this summer, so it was very challenging. You can only go up.’’
There was no fatigue in Williams when she held serve at 2-2 in the second set in a game that went six deuces and she he held off three break points.
After Williams won a spectacularly long point with forehand volley winner, Flipkins threw her racket in frustration. Williams broke Flipkins at 5-2 to win, hitting a difficult backhand overhead winner after a long backpedal. She almost looked 17 again.
* Five-time champion Roger Federer’s scheduled nightcap on Ashe Stadium was postponed until this afternoon due to rain.
* No. 3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska spent the weekend in her native Poland for her grandfather’s funeral. She didn’t show any rust despite flying into Queens on Sunday afternoon, less than 24 hours before her first match. She beat Spain’s Silvia Soler-Espinosa, 6-1, 6-2.
“I think that sometimes there are some things more important than tennis,” Radwanska said.
* Bernard Tomic won a five-set battle over Albert Ramos, then talked about his father’s ban from tournaments for allegedly hitting one of Tomic’s practice partners in May.
“I’m managing now,’’ said Tomic, the 20-year-old from Australia. “It’s still difficult. What can you do? My dad is still on my side and that’s the important thing.’’
* Alisa Kleybanova had not played in a Grand Slam in more than two years since being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphona, but the 24-year-old Russian’s inspiring tale added another page with a three-set, first-round win over Monica Puig.
Kleybanova defeated the 19-year-old Puerto Rican, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, in a two-hour, 36-minute match on Court 7.
“My goal was so big to get over this that I think that’s what helped me a lot,” said Kleybanova, who last played in a Grand Slam event at the 2011 Australian Open and underwent chemotherapy until December 2011. “Because the most important [thing] is that when you have a big goal in front of you, you do everything to reach it. I was just like, it’s like playing a match. You just do everything to be a winner.”
Kleybanova, who has been ranked as high as No. 20, will next meet former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, who defeated 18-year-old American Madison Keys, 6-3, 6-4.
* Coco Vandeweghe, the niece of Kiki Vendeweghe and granddaughter of Ernie Vandeweghe, both former Knicks, moved onto the second round with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory over Aleksandra Krunic. The 22-year-old Vandeweghe battled recent ankle problems and won three qualifier matches just to get into the main draw. … Jersey girl Christina McHale plays her first match today on the Grandstand against Julia Goerges of Germany.
—Additional reporting by Zach Braziller