Serena back after pregnant pause

NEARLY 500 days since she played her last Grand Slam match, Serena Williams is back in action. The 23-time major champion begins her French Open campaign today against Czech left-hander Kristyna Pliskova. Williams won the 2017 Australian Open 497 days ago, beating her sister Venus in the final. She later discovered she had been pregnant during the tournament. The 36-year-old made her competitive return in March, but scratched plans to play in Madrid and Rome this month and so comes into the French Open with no claycourt matches under her belt. Pliskova, twin sister of world No 6 Karolina, is a powerful opponent who is capable of punishing any rustiness in the Williams game. Maria Sharapova, who made the semi-finals in Rome, takes on Holland’s Richel Hogenkamp and could meet Williams in the fourth round. British No 1 Kyle Edmund gets his campaign under way against 19-year-old Australian Alex de Minaur. The world No 105 is highly rated but Edmund is heavy favourite.

WATCHING BRIEF: Edmund v De Minaur and Sharapova v Hogenkamp 11.30am; Williams v Pliskova 1pm (approx times). TV: LIVE on ITV 4 and Eurosport.