Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Serena wins in Aussie return; Venus rallies
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA » This was quite a return for Serena Williams. Almost as if she never left.
In her first match at the Australian Open since winning the 2017 title while pregnant — and her first official match anywhere since a loss in the chaotic U.S. Open final last September — Williams looked to be at her dominant best, overpowering Tatjana Maria 6-0, 6-2 in the first round Tuesday.
“I kind of like to jump in the deep end and swim,” Williams said in an oncourt interview after the 49-minute workout, “and see what happens.”
She hadn’t dipped her toe in Grand Slam waters since New York, where everything devolved after Williams was warned for getting coaching, then docked a point for breaking a racket and eventually docked a game for calling the chair umpire “a thief” during the final.
When that match was mentioned by a reporter during Williams’ news conference Tuesday, as part of a question about whether coaching should be allowed during matches at majors, she replied, “I, like, literally have no comment.”
Truth be told, the match against Maria was not much of a test for Williams, given that the 74th-ranked German entered with an 11-15 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam Serena Williams hits a backhand return to Tatjana Maria during their first-round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday. tournaments, only once has made it as far as the third round at any major and owns a total of one career WTA title after a dozen years on the tour.
Williams, meanwhile, is pursuing an eighth title in Melbourne and 24th Slam singles trophy overall, which would equal Margaret Court — whose career spanned the amateur and professional eras — for the most in tennis history.
“I have been going for the record (for) what seems like forever now,” the 37-yearold Williams said, “so it doesn’t feel any different.” How lopsided was this? Williams needed all of 18 minutes to wrap up the first set, ceding just five of 29 points along the way.
The American, a former No. 1 who is seeded 16th on account of playing only 24 matches in 2018, never faced a single break point and compiled a 22-7 edge in winners.
“Maybe,” Maria said afterward, “I was a little bit overwhelmed.” Just a little bit. The two players have homes near each other in a gated community in Florida — “We do sometimes barbecue together,” Maria said — and their daughters — Williams’ is 16 months old; Maria’s is 5 years old — share play dates.
“I think the last time I was here, I was actually pregnant and playing at the same time, which is insane,” Williams said. “It was kind of weird walking back on — by myself, this time.”
Williams’ older sister, Venus, is unseeded at a major for the first time in five years and she was a game from a first-round exit before coming all the way back to eliminate 25thseeded Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-2.
She is a seven-time major champion and a twotime runner-up in Australia but is currently ranked only 36th.
The tournament’s two No. 1 seeds, Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep, played at night and both won — although in contrasting fashion. Djokovic eliminated Mitchell Krueger of the U.S. 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, while Halep trailed by a set and a break before coming back to beat Kaia Kanepi 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2 and avoid becoming the first top-seeded woman in 40 years to lose her opening match at the Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal will be testing the loyalty and support of Rod Laver Arena fans when he plays an Australian for the second consecutive match. Nadal beat James Duckworth in straight sets in the first round and his next match is against Matt Ebden. Roger Federer, meanwhile, plays Daniel Evans in an afternoon match at Rod Laver. “I played him at Wimbledon before (in 2016, when Evans lost in straight sets) ... it’s not very often you get to play Roger on obviously a pretty big court, I look forward to it,” Evans said. Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat Andy Murray in the first round, plays John Millman. In second-round women’s matches, secondseeded Angelique Kerber, the 2016 champion, plays qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia and defending champion Caroline Wozniacki takes on Johanna Larsson. TUESDAY’S KEY RESULTS Men’s 1st round: No. 1 Novak Djokovic beat Mitchell Krueger 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; No. 4 Alexander Zverev beat Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 6-1, 6-4; No. 8 Kei Nishikori beat Kamil Majchrzak 3-6, 6-7 (6), 6-0, 6-2, 3-0 retired; No. 25 Denis Shapovalov beat Pablo Andujar 6-2, 6-3 7-6 (3); Stan Wawrinka beat Ernests Gulbis 3-6, 3-1 retired. Women’s 1st round: No. 1 Simona Halep beat Kaia Kanepi 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2; No. 4 Naomi Osaka beat Magna Linette 6-4, 6-2; No. 7 Karolina Pliskova beat Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-2; No. 16 Serena Williams beat Tatjana Maria 6-0, 6-2; No. 17 Madison Keys beat Destanee Aiava 6-2, 6-2; Laura Siegemund beat Victoria Azarenka (6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2. STAT OF THE DAY 5: number of points that Serena Williams conceded in the first set of her match. QUOTE OF THE DAY “I’m not pregnant. That’s the biggest difference” — Serena Williams when asked to contrast her previous appearance in Melbourne with this tournament.