How did Serena Williams perform in comeback match?
Serena Williams extended her stay in Queen’s with a commanding straight-sets victory in her comeback match.
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WTA legend Serena Williams is back to winning ways, as her return to the sport after nearly four years concluded in a convincing straight-sets win against the third seeded pairing of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe.
Alongside Victoria Mboko, the pair put on a brilliant performance to advance to the quarter-finals. The spotlight was firmly on Serena Williams, who was playing her first match since her third round defeat at the 2022 US Open.
At 44 years of age, the American legend proved that her trademark brilliance remains intact, producing a series of entertaining and high-quality shots.
Williams’ biggest weapon on the day was her serve. The American repeatedly clocked speeds in excess of 190 km/h, striking a number of aces and keeping her opponents under constant check. The match began with an early break for the American-Canadian duo, with Routliffe struggling to find her rhythm.
It was evident that the third seeded pairing was dealing with a lot of pressure due to Williams’ imposing presence on the other end of the court. Serena produced a couple of superb touches at the net, but showed signs of rustiness from the baseline, which is understandable given her long absence from professional tennis.
Despite the early break, the third seeds levelled terms after managing to convert a break point on Serena’s serve, owingn to a double fault. However, Williams and Mboko dominated the tiebreaker, to seal the opening set.
The second set was a dominant performance, with the Canadian playing a near-flawless match, thereby allowing Williams to settle into the match and find her rhythm.
The duo will next face the winner of the match between Alexandra Panova / Demi Schuurs and Laura Siegemund / Leylah Fernandez, for a place in the semi-finals.
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