Reuters/New York

Venus Williams may be in her 20th year as a professional but on Monday she was cast in the role of whipper-snapper when she edged out 43-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm in the first round of the US Open.
At 34, the seven-times grand slam champion recovered from a set down to see off Date-Krumm 2-6 6-3 6-3 and deny the age-defying Japanese a victory.
“I don’t even think about (age) anymore,” said Williams, who continues to deal with an auto-immune illness that causes chronic fatigue and stiff joints.
“According to Kimiko I have another decade. She set the prime example. She’s top 100 and no one can beat her easily. She’s breaking the mould.
Date-Krumm turns 44 next month but shows no sign of wanting to call it a day and when she took the opening set, a first win over Williams in their fourth meeting looked possible.
Taking the ball early with her unique short, jabbing, flat groundstrokes, Date-Krumm kept Williams on the back foot.  Date-Krumm, who reached a career-high ranking of fourth in 1996, quit tennis the same year, only to return 12 years later.
Ranked 88, she remains tough to beat but Williams slowly worked her way back into the match.
Once she had levelled at one set apiece, there only looked like being one winner and Williams maintained her momentum to advance to round two.
Williams reached the final in Montreal earlier this month and has returned to the world’s top 20 this year.
Dealing with Sjogren’s syndrome means the two-time former US Open champion does not know how she will feel from one day to the next.
Reminded that she had once said she expected to be retired by the time she was 25, Williams laughed off suggestions retirement may be close.
“When you’re 16, 25 is a few decades away,” she said. “Now, 25 is literally a decade behind me.
“But I’m going to stay as long as I’m playing well and as long as there is an opportunity, as long as I want to be here. As long as I’m here it’s because I want to (be).”
Williams plays Timea Bacsinszky in the second round and feels she is capable of another good run at Flushing Meadows.  “Unfortunately there is no magic formula besides you better play really well and you better figure it out somehow,” she said. “That’s my whole thing ... I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ve got to figure out how I’m going to play well.”