Serena Williams honored her return to the WTA Tour with a victory. The 40-year-old American played her first game in a year on grass in Eastbourne, England. With Tunisian Anas Jaber, she won the first round of the doubles tie-break match against Marie Bozkova of the Czech Republic and the Spaniard Sarah Soribes Tormo: 2-6, 6-3, 13-11.
Williams played her previous match at Wimbledon last year. She gave up in London in the first round due to an ankle injury and then withdrew from the Olympics. The 23-time Grand Slam champion also missed the US Open with a hamstring injury.
Williams, who has fallen far behind in the rankings, announced her comeback last week. Starting next week, she will be taking part in Wimbledon with Wild Card, the Grand Slam tournament she has won seven times. In the lead-up to the London Championships on turf, the American picks up a rhythm in Eastbourne.
In the first set she didn’t have much to say with Jabeur against Bozkova and Soribis Tormo, but then things got better for the occasional duo. After both pairs lost match points in the decisive match tiebreak, Williams and Jaber eventually won.
future
She said after her match that Williams does not yet know how long she will continue to play tennis. “I literally look at it from day to day,” said Williams, who said he also had moments of skepticism. I really took my time after a hamstring injury. Will I continue playing next year? I really don’t know yet. I love tennis, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. But I also love the things that I’ve built off the tennis court with Serena Ventures.” Williams helps disadvantaged people in the community with her foundation.
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