The draw of Serena Williams sent attendances soaring at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York.
According to a USTA press release, the US Open set multiple attendance records on the Opening Day of this year’s tournament.
For just the night session alone, a record breaking 29,402 fans streamed into the complex at Flushing Meadows with marquee matchups on the menu.
The day session also shattered a record for the Opening Day with 41,930 fans making their way out to Queens.
Combined, the two numbers set the second-highest single-day attendance mark in tournament history with a total attendance of 71,332.
Over 29,000 fans turned out for the Opening Night of the US Open on Monday evening
The evening session was dominated by Serena Williams, who began what may be her final Grand Slam tournament of her singles career with a win.
She defeated Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic in straight sets, winning 6-3, 6-3.
Elsewhere in Flushing Meadows, two big upsets in the men’s singles bracket drew the crowd’s attention.
Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world’s no. 5 player, fell to 94th ranked Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan. Galan won his match by a score of 6-0, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.
In an all-American battle, world no. 12 player Taylor Fritz lost to unranked Brandon Holt, who won his first Grand Slam match 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.
In the later matches, Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios took on friend and doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Later, last year’s women’s singles runner up Canadian Leylah Fernandez played France’s Oceane Dodin at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
One of the biggest upsets of the day, unranked Brandon Holt beat no. 12 Taylor Fritz in four sets
Later matches included one between friends Nick Kyrgios (pictured) and Thanasi Kokkinakis