Serena Williams records first singles win in over a year – Sporting Life
Three-time winner Serena Williams advanced to the second round of the Toronto Open on Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz, while Wimbledon champions Elena Rybakina and Simona Halep also progressed.
Williams, in her second singles match since returning to Wimbledon in June after a year-long absence from competition, was forced to dig deep during a nearly two-hour match played in hot and humid conditions.
“Mentally, I feel like I’m getting there. I’m not where I usually am and I’m not where I want to be,” Williams told reporters.
“Physically, I feel much better in training, it’s like being on the pitch. But literally, I’m the kind of person that it just takes one or two things and then it clicks. So I’m just waiting for it to click.”
One of 14 grand prize winners in the main draw of the WTA 1000 event, a tune-up for the US Open, Williams won the opener on her fourth set point with a vintage smash that left Parrizas Diaz with no chance of a return.
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The second set was a much closer affair and Williams did well to hold serve in a physically demanding 18-minute game in which she fended off four break points to go 4-4 before claiming her first singles win since the French Open 2021 sealed.
“It’s just a win, you know, it takes a lot. But like I said, I was happy that I won,” said Williams. “It’s been a long time. I’ve forgotten how it feels.” Next up will be Williams’ Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, the 12th seed, or Czech Republic’s Tereza Martincova. However, older sister Venus Williams was not so lucky after losing to Jil Teichmann 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, according to Vogue, the 23-time Grand Slam champion has hinted that she may be retiring from the sport that has brought her fame and fortune
“I’m here to tell you I’m evolving away from tennis and towards other things that are important to me,” she wrote.
Williams has signed on to play the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati next week, as well as the US Open later this month, and it appears this will be her last tournament.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t ready to win Wimbledon this year,” said the 40-year-old.
“And I don’t know if I’ll be ready to win New York. But I will try it. And the preparation tournaments will be fun.
“I know there’s a fan fantasy that I would have tied up Margaret (Court on 24 Slam Singles Titles) in London that day, then maybe broke her record in New York and then said at the trophy ceremony, ‘See you !’
“I get that. It’s a good fantasy. But I’m not looking for a ceremonial, final moment on the pitch. I’m terrible at goodbyes, the worst in the world.”