Serena is back and still a winner
INDIAN WELLS, CALIF (AP):
WALKING ON court for the first match of her latest comeback, Serena Williams allowed herself a rare smile. This time, tennis is different for the 23-time major winner.
What didn’t change is Williams winning.
She beat Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-3 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday night after a 14-month layoff for the birth of her first daughter.
“I almost cried before the match,” Williams said. “I texted Alexis, I was like, is it normal that I want to cry? I really missed her, but playing at night really helped because I know she goes to bed and she goes to sleep. I can’t like play with her right now.”
With new husband and Reddit cofound Alexis Ohanian looking on, Williams played from behind until breaking Diyas in the 11th game of the first set. Diyas netted a forehand and Williams yelled, “Come on!” as the crowd cheered.
“R ight now, for this par ticular tournament, I’m really just trying to take it easy and not put so much pressure or stress or expectation on myself,” she said. “I feel like it’s one of the few times I’ve been able to do that.”
Williams has been away since winning the 2017 Australian Open early in her pregnancy. She gave birth to Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr six months ago.
Williams is playing at Indian Wells under a protected ranking of 22nd. She hasn’t been unseeded at a tournament since 2011 in Cincinnati.
“I’m playing with nothing to lose, I only can gain,” she said. “For me, it’s a real joy to be out here.”
The half-full stadium warmly greeted Williams, with many fans giving her a standing ovation as she entered.
Williams ser ved a l ove game capped by a 100-mph ace in her first service game. She had break points in the first and fifth games but couldn’t convert. She started hitting harder and her familiar grunting returned when she tied the set 5-all.
Diyas and Williams traded service breaks early i n the second set. Williams then broke her opponent again en route to winning the final five games in front of the half-full stadium. She smiled as she walked to the net, and her family gave her a standing ovation.
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” Williams said on court. “We always have a couple of tight sets. It was good. I’m a little rusty, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just out here on this journey and doing the best I can.”
OAKLAND, CALIF (AP):
STEVE KERR chuckled not about Stephen Curry’s latest ankle trouble but just how good the Golden State Warriors can be without their two-time MVP.
“We still have three All-Stars when Steph goes down,” Kerr said. “We still have a lot of talent.”
Kevin Durant had 37 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots and almost single-handedly led the undermanned defending champions’ fourth-quarter rally past the San Antonio Spurs for a 110-107 win Thursday night after Curry went down early.
Durant hit his third straight jumper to tie it with 2:01 remaining before the Warriors went ahead on Draymond Green’s putback the following possession. Klay Thompson made two free throws with 15.9 seconds left.
Bryn Forbes’ 3-point try from the top to tie it hit the front rim as the final buzzer sounded.
Curry was lost for the night to a rolled right ankle early in the first quarter, then the Warriors responded without him to win their seventh straight since the All-Star break.
Durant’s 14-footer from the right wing with 3:14 left got Golden State within 103101, and then he answered a Spurs basket with another jumper the next time.
The NBA Finals MVP blocked two shots in the first half to set a new career high for a season and now has 108, besting the 105 blocks he had in 2012-13.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 30 points to lead the Spurs, who were without a star of their own after starting centre Pau Gasol sprained the AC joint in his right shoulder late against Memphis on Monday.
Golden State trailed 87-78 going into the final 12 minutes, earning a fourth straight win and eighth in 12 against San Antonio after a 122-105 home victory February 10.