One of the city's premiere sporting events is underway. The U.S. open kicked off Monday morning at the National Tennis Center in Queens. This year, there's a lot of attention on one player. Lindsey Christ filed this report.

There is some extra buzz at the U.S. Open this year. As the matches got under way Monday, many players and fans were talking about one American woman—Serena Williams. If she's victorious in Flushing, Williams will be the first calendar year Grand Slam winner since 1988, when Steffi Graf won all four major tennis tournaments.

"She should be on the cover of every paper yesterday saying she is one of the best athletes of all time and we're so lucky she's American and really bringing it for our sport," says tennis fan Clinton Wilson.

The excitement surrounding a potential Williams win has already made history when it comes to U.S. open ticket sales. 

"Things are so exciting for fans that our women's singles finals has sold out before the men's final for the first time in history. People can't get enough of Serena and it's fantastic for the tournament," says Chris Widmaier of the United States Tennis Association.

Late Sunday night, her chances of victory improved when her biggest opponent, Maria Sharapova, withdrew from the tournament with a lingering leg injury.

"We're more Serena fans than we are Sharapova fans," one fan says.

But it's not all Serena, all the time. 

"I like Fernando Versasco and Roger Federer," says one fan.

"Djokvochic. He's my favorite player in the world. I just love him. I like his style. I like how he plays. I like his attitude and personality," says another young fan.

"We're always excited to see Roger Fedor, Rafa Nadal," says fan Rich Goldberg.

Seven hundred thousand people are expected to watch the matches here. Those fans—like the players—have come from all over the world for the tournament, which goes until September 13. 

For one of the international fans, this is her second time here at the US Open. Barbara Mulej from Slovenia played here in the qualifying rounds in 1999. 

"And I wanted to show kids all those Grand Slams so we did Wimbleton two years ago, Paris. So finally also U.S. Open. And I think this is the tournament they will most like," Mulej says.

While the women's finals are sold out, there still tickets available to many of the other matches over the next two weeks.