Wildcard Venus through to 2nd round at her 23rd Wimbledon

LONDON (Reuters) – Five-time champion Venus Williams, playing as a wildcard in her 23rd Wimbledon, showed vintage form to beat Romania’s Mihaela

Buzarnescu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 and reach the second round on Tuesday.

The oldest woman in the draw at 41, Williams had not won a match since reaching the second round at the Australian Open in February but showed she was far from finished on her return to a favorite place.

The Court Three clash of veterans, one of several held over due to rain on Monday, was the 271st victory of a remarkable Grand Slam career for Williams and, despite serving 10 aces, did not come easy.

The American had powered to a 5-1 lead in the final set, but then wobbled as Buzarnescu, 33, came back to 5-3.

The Romanian failed to convert three break points in the final game, but saved another match point, before Williams made sure of victory at the third attempt.

When asked what her tennis future might hold, Williams could only laugh.

“I don’t think anyone’s asked me that in a while,” she said. My future will be on tomorrow when I play another match. That is exactly what it is.”

Williams’ next opponent will be Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who this month became the first Arab woman to win a WTA event and beat Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson 6-2, 6-1 in her first-round match.

“Ons I would say is one of my favorite people on tour. Honestly, she’s just breaking down barriers. The first woman from her country to do anything that she’s doing,” said Williams.

“She just won her first tournament, so she’s got to be feeling great...I think she’s inspiring so many people, including me.”

In other action, world No. 1 Ash Barty overcame a mid-match blip to beat Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-7(1), 6-1 and advance to the second round.

Suarez Navarro, who returned to competitive tennis at the French Open after overcoming cancer, is set to retire after the Olympics. The 32-year-old received a standing ovation from the crowd as she left the court.

On the men’s side, German Alexander Zverev eased through his opening round against Dutch qualifier Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets.

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