Kentucky (US) – Serena Williams made a triumphant return to tennis on Tuesday as she set forth to beat Bernarda Pera 4-6 6-4 6-1 at the Top Seed Open in Lexington, Kentucky on Tuesday. This would mark her first match of the COVID-19 era.
Williams was five points short, and was falling to the American left-hander in the second set, however, her fighting spirit helped set up a second-round showdown with older sister Venus, a 6-3 6-2 winner over Victoria Azarenka.
Serena, who is all set for the August 31-September 13 US Open, said, “It’s good just in general because I haven’t played. A lot of players have been playing – little things and little matches and playing against other players – but I’ve only been training so this was really good for me.”
The Top Seed Open, the first WTA Tour tournament in the US since the COVID-19 outbreak suspended games, gave a glimpse of what is in store for the 38-year-old American. She is in a bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title in New York.
Serena said, “I’ve been through so many things in my career so this was totally different. Being in New York will be a little different because there’s this massive stadium.”
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.
