Losing to Serena can be a Wimbledon thrill, too
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WIMBLEDON — Used to be that players would dread the prospect of facing Serena Williams, especially at Wimbledon.
Nowadays, they seem to be eager to go up against her — not because they think they can beat Williams, mind you, but because, well, she's Serena Williams, and what better way to create a memory for life than to share a court with one of the, if not THE, greatest in the history of tennis.
So that's why Giulia Gatto-Monticone, a 31-year-old qualifier from Italy making her debut at the All England Club, was thrilled when the draw put her up against Williams in the first round Tuesday, and the schedule put them on Centre Court, to boot. So what prompting an Italian reporter to ask mine and post it on Instagram.' I said, if Gatto-Monticone fell behind 5-0 in whether Gatto-Monticone wondered P`erfect!“'
17 minutes and wound up losing, 6-2, whether maybe she had a chance: “No,” Consider, too, the attitude of the 7-5? came the reply, “I never thought that.” next woman standing in the way of
“Incredibly happy to play her,” To the handshake after the highlight-worthy Williams' bid for an eighth Wimbledon Gatto-Monticone said afterward. “Serena 12-stroke exchange that championship and 24th Grand Slam is Serena.” capped the result, including a trade of singles trophy overall (which is aside
The whole day was, she said, “a volleys with both women at the net: from her hardware in women's doubles dream come true,” filled with smiles “She told me I'm an amazing player. I and mixed doubles, an event she is and tears and goose bumps. From the don't know if she really thought so, but entering this week with Andy Murray). tour of the stadium that she, her coach, she was so nice. I told her she's the That's another qualifier, 18-year-old her physiotherapist and her physiotherapist's queen of this tournament. I thanked Kaja Juvan of Slovenia, who was born a son were given in the morning: her.” little more than a year after Williams “We went through the club members' And then came this: Gatto-Monticone won the 1999 U.S. Open. area. Just a spectacular place. asked the 37-year-old Williams if Juvan, like Gatto-Monticone, relishes Truly beautiful couches, flowers. We they could pose for a selfie together. the opportunity to meet saw the trophies. We saw the entrance “She was sweet, because I was panicking Williams. to the court,” Gatto-Monticone said. and I couldn't find my phone,” “I'm glad I got the chance to still play
To the match itself, which was Gatto-Monticone recounted. “She said, with her,” Juvan said, “because she's briefly even in the second set at 5-all, T`hat's fine. Don't worry. I'll take it with done so much in her career.”