Williams’ return to Centre Court
Serena Williams returned to singles tennis at Wimbledon, facing Australia‘s Maya Joint on Centre Court. This marked Williams’ first singles match since her appearance at the 2022 US Open. Her entrance to the court was met with a standing ovation, with spectators holding up old photographs of the tennis icon.
The atmosphere on the warm Wimbledon night was described as reverent, with many in the crowd having grown up watching Williams play. Despite her absence from the professional game, the familiar shapes and movements of her playing style were still evident.
Williams had quietly re-entered the drug-testing pool in recent months and had been training in Florida with her former coach, Rennae Stubbs. While she had downplayed the importance of winning in her comeback, her competitive nature, which led her to 23 Grand Slam titles, suggested otherwise.
The match unfolds
The match concluded with a 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 victory for Joint. Joint, who is 20 years old, started the match strongly, navigated a dip in the second set, and impressively regrouped after being a break down in the third set. Williams, who is 44, showed glimpses of her past dominance, particularly as the match progressed, though her movement appeared laboured at times.
In the first set, Williams struggled to find her rhythm, registering only five winners and two aces. Former British number one Laura Robson noted that Williams appeared to be feeling the pressure, at times forgetting to release into her shots due to her intense desire to win. However, Williams’ serve still clocked speeds in excess of 120mph on occasion.
Williams significantly improved in the second set, increasing her first serve percentage to 63% and tripling her winner count to 17. She saved a match point with a powerful serve, forcing a deciding set. The crowd at SW19 was vocal in their support, cheering loudly as Williams fought to stay in the match.
Fatigue seemed to affect Williams in the third set, as she found it difficult to maintain the pace. Joint, in contrast, fired 15 winners compared to Williams’ four in the final set. Former British number one Annabel Croft commented that Williams was perhaps unlucky to face such a talented opponent in Joint, who displayed mental strength and outplayed her from the back of the court.
Looking ahead
Despite the loss, Williams received a loud round of applause from the Centre Court crowd, acknowledging the joy she has brought to the sport. Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash observed that Williams played at an incredible level. He also noted that Williams played better in this match than she did at the end of her career four years prior.
Williams had been training diligently for her return, but match practice is crucial. She had only played two doubles matches before her singles comeback. Her movement was notably exposed by Joint, with Williams often appearing off balance or rooted to the spot as winners passed her.
The next major tournament is the US Open, which was the location of what was widely considered her final singles appearance in 2022. Williams is also scheduled to play doubles with her sister Venus on Thursday at Wimbledon.
Source: theguardian.com
