Familiar domination
Serena’s 1st match since U.S. Open goes as expected
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 — Williams was 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 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.”
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 tournaments, only once has made it as far as the third round at any major and owns a total of one career WTAtitle 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 for the most in history.
“I have been going for the record (for) what seems like forever now,” said Williams, 37, “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 seeded 16th after 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.”
Other seeded winners Tuesday included No. 4 Naomi Osaka, No. 7 Karolina Pliskova, No. 12 Elise Mertens, No. 13 Anastasija Sevastova, No. 17 Madison Keys and No. 18 Garbine Muguruza among the women, plus No. 4 Alexander Zverev, No. 8 Kei Nishikori, No. 11 Borna Coric and No. 12 Fabio Fognini among the men.
French Open finalist Dominic Thiem went the distance against Benoit Paire before wrapping up a 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 1-6, 6-3 win just after 2 a.m.
Williams' older sister, Venus, was a game from a first-round exit before rallying to oust 25th-seeded Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-2.