After a year-long break from tennis, Serena Williams, former world No. 1 and 23-time Grand Slam champion, makes a comeback in Wimbledon. However, she lost to Harmony Tan in the first round, ranked 115 in singles, on Tuesday.
Last year at Wimbledon for Williams was certainly painful. Williams tore her right hamstring after slipping during the first set of the first round. She tried to continue the match, but was forced to withdraw against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. As she limped towards the exit, she even needed assistance to walk.
“You never want any match to end like that,” Williams said about her match in 2021 in an article from the New York Times. “It’s really unfortunate, but it was definitely something that’s always been at the top of my mind.”
Despite losing against Tan in a three set thriller, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7), Williams, now ranked 1,204 in singles, claims it was definitely better than last year and was a start.
Before the match, Williams was asked if she intended to continue playing tennis knowing the busy life she had.
“I didn’t retire,” she said to New York Times. “I had no plans to be honest. I just didn’t know when I would come back. I didn’t know how I would come back. Obviously, Wimbledon is such a great place to be, and it just kind of worked out.”
During this one year break, Williams has been busy caring for her 4-year old daughter, dealing with business endeavors including Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in companies whose founders come from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
“A part of me feels like that is a little bit more of my life now than tournaments,” she said in an article from the New York Times. “When you do have a venture company, you do have to go all in. It definitely takes literally all my extra time. And it’s fun. I’m currently out of office for the next few weeks, so if you email me, you’ll get the nice ‘out of office’ reply. Everyone knows that I’ll be back in a few weeks. But it’s good.”
Before her match, Williams was asked if this was her last match at Wimbledon.
“You know, I don’t know,” she said in an article from the New York Times. “I can only tell you that I’m here. Who knows where I’ll pop up next? You’ve just got to be ready.”
Serena Williams may not ever be able to return to her 2010 reigning form. But without a doubt, the former world No.1, 23-time Grand Slam champion, has certainly made history for women’s tennis.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/25/sports/tennis/serena-williams-wimbledon.html
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/wimbledon-serena-williams-loses-harmony-tan
https://nypost.com/2022/06/28/serena-williams-stunned-in-wimbledon-opener-after-year-away/
Last year at Wimbledon for Williams was certainly painful. Williams tore her right hamstring after slipping during the first set of the first round. She tried to continue the match, but was forced to withdraw against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. As she limped towards the exit, she even needed assistance to walk.
“You never want any match to end like that,” Williams said about her match in 2021 in an article from the New York Times. “It’s really unfortunate, but it was definitely something that’s always been at the top of my mind.”
Despite losing against Tan in a three set thriller, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7), Williams, now ranked 1,204 in singles, claims it was definitely better than last year and was a start.
Before the match, Williams was asked if she intended to continue playing tennis knowing the busy life she had.
“I didn’t retire,” she said to New York Times. “I had no plans to be honest. I just didn’t know when I would come back. I didn’t know how I would come back. Obviously, Wimbledon is such a great place to be, and it just kind of worked out.”
During this one year break, Williams has been busy caring for her 4-year old daughter, dealing with business endeavors including Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in companies whose founders come from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
“A part of me feels like that is a little bit more of my life now than tournaments,” she said in an article from the New York Times. “When you do have a venture company, you do have to go all in. It definitely takes literally all my extra time. And it’s fun. I’m currently out of office for the next few weeks, so if you email me, you’ll get the nice ‘out of office’ reply. Everyone knows that I’ll be back in a few weeks. But it’s good.”
Before her match, Williams was asked if this was her last match at Wimbledon.
“You know, I don’t know,” she said in an article from the New York Times. “I can only tell you that I’m here. Who knows where I’ll pop up next? You’ve just got to be ready.”
Serena Williams may not ever be able to return to her 2010 reigning form. But without a doubt, the former world No.1, 23-time Grand Slam champion, has certainly made history for women’s tennis.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/25/sports/tennis/serena-williams-wimbledon.html
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/wimbledon-serena-williams-loses-harmony-tan
https://nypost.com/2022/06/28/serena-williams-stunned-in-wimbledon-opener-after-year-away/
