Serena Williams still royalty at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England – Serena Williams didn’t look in the best of form Monday during her first Wimbledon match since winning a seventh title here in 2016.
But her 7-5, 6-3 first-round win against Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands keeps the 23-time Grand Slam tournament champion in the hunt for an eighth Wimbledon trophy.
That’s certainly good news for royal watchers out there, who hope Williams’ continued presence at Wimbledon will bring her close friend, the Duchess of Sussex, formerly known as actress Meghan Markle, out to see her play.
It would only be fair if Markle’s husband, Prince Harry — who hasn’t been a regular at Wimbledon like his brother, Prince William — tags along, considering Williams and her husband,
Alexis Ohanian, accompanied the duchess to watch Harry play polo in the Audi Polo Challenge at Ascot on Saturday. FYI: The prince and his brother, Prince William, were on the winning team.
In fact, in what had to be one of the most unique of absence excuses, Williams delayed her pre-Wimbledon news conference, initially scheduled for Sat- urday, until Sunday so she could make the polo scene.
“I enjoyed polo,” said Williams, who attended the May wedding. “It was really fun. It’s an intense sport. I feel like they’re going sometimes 45 miles an hour. I didn’t know this at all. For me it’s very scary. Wow, it’s very respectable. I feel like every time I watch a new sport, I get so much new respect for it.”
When asked if the Duchess is likely to show up at Wimbledon, Williams said, smiling, “I don’t know. We’ll see. If I keep winning.”
Williams, awarded the 25th seed despite being ranked No. 181, lacked the kind of sharpness Monday that she prefers. That hardly comes as a surprise considering she didn’t return to the tour until March after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia, in September and has played sporadically.
“I’m just taking it one at a time,” Williams said. “I don’t think I was at my best, but I’m practicing much better.
“I feel as long as I, you know, keep going, hopefully I’ll be able to get there.”