Vitalia Diatchenko, a 25-year-old from Sochi, Russia, traveled to New York alone, without a coach or her family.
But on Monday night at the United States Open, she will be surrounded by more than 20,000 people who will watch her every move — that is, when their eyes glance away from Serena Williams.
“I hope somebody will support me,” Diatchenko, the WTA’s 86th-ranked player, said with a nervous laugh Friday in the tournament’s player lounge. “To play in New York, in the U.S., I’m alone here. I know my family will support me from TV, but I hope somebody will come and support me as well in the stadium.