In 1998 an alien lands in Flushing Meadows. A 16-year-old black girl with colored braids wins her first Grand Slam match, against Nicole Pratt. She will reach the third round in singles. But she, even more importantly, she will win her first Grand Slam, accompanied by Max Mirnyi, in the mixed doubles. “Already at that age when she was preparing the shot the opponents would throw themselves back”, she will remember. Curious that that couple could have died in the bud. Mirnyi, in fact, had only one doubt about the team with Serena: “How many penalties will we take for all the plastic beads that fall from her braids?”. “All ok, quiet”, replied dad Richard aloof. He was right, it won’t be the first time.
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