If Serena Williams is to win her first U.S. Open since 2008, she will have to do it for the first time without her loquacious father, Richard Williams, roaming the grounds.
Usually a Flushing Meadows fixture, Richard Williams, still Serena’s official coach, won’t be making it to the U.S. Open this year.
Richard always is on the practice court with his two daughters here. He often can be found schmoozing by the President’s Gate with a brown cigarillo and new wife, Lakeisha, who is just two years older than Venus Williams at 34.
Oracene Price, the Williams sisters’ mother, confirmed her ex-husband will not be coming for the second week either.
But that doesn’t mean Serena isn’t getting his advice via phone. Williams got payback yesterday on Russian Ekaterina Makarova, posting a 6-4, 6-0 victory in the third round at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with an ousted Venus looking on.
The left-handed Makarova had stunned Serena at the Australian Open, beating her 6-2, 6-3 as Williams committed 37 unforced errors.
Williams’ father had some words of wisdom before the match, though she would not share all of it. Frenchman Patrick Mouratoglou, her coaching consulted who started working with Williams after the French Open and has reignited her career, is at the Open as well as hitting partner Sasha Bajin.
“I talked to my dad, who always gives me the right advice and tells me what to do,’’ Williams said. “Just to say relaxed and to … I’m not going to tell you [the rest].”
According to a source, Richard Williams was asked not to attend. Perhaps the entourage is fearful of his usual big boasts that could serve as a distraction. He has not sat in the family box with his former wife Oracene for years.
Richard Williams surely will have some more to say to his daughter as she faces upset winner Andrea Hlavackova in the fourth round. Hlavackova, ranked 82nd, survived a match point and beat 14th seed Maria Kirilenko 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
Serena Williams said she refused to look at a replay of the Australian Open loss to Makarova and rarely does.
“I used to but it was so painful, like stabbing myself,’’ she said.
Williams had to fight hard to survive a tense first set. She was flummoxed by the Russian’s lefty kick serve. The players were on serve at 5-4 when Serena finally posted the service break to win the set. As Makarova’s forehand sailed deep, Williams shouted “C’mon!’’ — clearly relieved.
Despite her serves in the 115 mph range, Williams seemed particularly frustrated she couldn’t break Marakova in the first set.
After blowing a 15-30 lead on the Russian’s serve in the first set, Williams slapped herself on the hip twice after over-hitting a backhand long. After losing the next point on another long backhand, she shouted “Uy, yuy, yuy” — a Yiddish expression of frustration. Williams said she picked it up from a Mexican friend as a child.
“I definitely was motivated,’’ she said, “knowing that I could and it could definitely happen again.’’
Williams still is buzzing from winning two gold medals at the London Olympics (singles and women’s doubles) and her Wimbledon title to enter as a big favorite to win her 15th Grand Slam title. She has lost an average of four games in her first three matches.
Williams said the retirements of Andy Roddick and Kim Clijsters only have sparked her even more.
“Honestly [my reaction] was I definitely don’t want it to end [for me],’’ Williams said. “I want to be here even more and play even more. I love the sport too much.’’
Williams’ already easy draw keeps getting easier with Kirilenko exiting. Her next opponent, Hlavackova incurred a thigh injury during the Kirilenko match and said she nearly retired. Williams and the Czech Republic blonde have never faced each other in singles .
“I played her a lot of times in doubles, so I know what it feels like to be on court with her,’’ Hlavackova said.
* No. 1 seed Roger Federer followed Serena at Ashe Stadium and posted a routine third-round victory over Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 after getting a giant ovation from the crowd.
Strangely, Federer said on match point, he had flashbacks of his lowest moment of 2011 in losing to Novak Djokovic in last year’s semifinals after blowing a match point. Federer said yesterday’s packed stadium, ovation and weather felt similar to last September.
“When I walked on, it reminded me of the ovation I got from that particular match,’’ Federer said. “It was funny I thought about it in a third-round match.’