As for all Grand Slam champions, the road to the trophy is long, and begins at a time that seems forever before the final match. In the first days of the tournament, titles are but dreams — dreams that slowly come closer to reality as each match is won. In this photo essay, tennis writer and photographer Chris Nicholson illustrates parts of the journey of two women chasing history: Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams.
Photos by Chris Nicholson, author of Photographing Tennis. Follow Chris’ US Open photos on Instagram (@ShootingTennis).