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Serena Williams’ return to Wimbledon ends with dramatic defeat against Harmony Tan
Williams, watched on by her household within the stands, misplaced a good first set earlier than leveling the match within the second on Centre Court docket, the positioning of seven of her 23 grand slam singles titles.
She was a break up within the third, however Tan confirmed her resilience by combating again to take an exciting remaining set in a nail-biting tie break.
Requested if it was the ultimate Wimbledon match of her embellished profession, Williams stated that was a query she “cannot reply.”
“Who is aware of the place I am going to pop up?” she added.
On Tuesday, she made her long-awaited return to singles, one yr on from retiring in her final first-round match at Wimbledon.
Momentum shifted between the 2 gamers over the course of the three-hour, 10-minute encounter — first in Tan’s favor as she edged the primary set, then in direction of Williams as she rallied within the second.
It appeared as if the 40-year-old Williams would prevail within the deciding set as she served for the win, however the memorable return wasn’t to be.
Tan broke again at 5-5, and regardless of failing to transform a match level at 6-5, made no mistake when she had a second likelihood within the tie break.
Ranked No. 115 on the earth, Tan was taking part in in her first match in the principle draw of Wimbledon and ninth throughout all grand slams.
“After I noticed the draw, I used to be actually scared,” she stated after the match. “It is Serena Williams — she’s a legend. I used to be like, ‘Oh my god, how can I play?’ And if I can win one recreation or two video games, it is actually good for me.”
Underneath the lights of Centre Court docket, Tan comfortably did greater than that — triumphing in opposition to one of many best athletes sport has ever seen.
“For my first Wimbledon — it is wow. Simply wow,” she added, struggling to seek out the phrases to seize her feelings.
It stays unclear whether or not this was Williams’ remaining outing at Wimbledon. Requested to sum up her legacy on the match, she was succinct, if understated.
“I believe I am fairly strong on the grass,” she stated. “Perhaps not immediately, however fairly strong on the market.”
Nadal, Swiatek advance
In Tuesday’s earlier video games on Centre Court docket, there have been victories for this yr’s French Open champions Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek.
Nadal, a two-time winner at Wimbledon, survived a scare to beat Francisco Cerundolo 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-4 as he begun his pursuit of a twenty third grand slam title, whereas Swiatek recorded her thirty sixth consecutive win by beating Jana Fett 6-0 6-3.
Nadal, who missed final yr’s match because of damage, acquired a heat reception on Centre Court docket, the place he was sternly examined by Argentina’s Cerundolo.
The Spaniard appeared heading in the right direction for a routine win when he was 2-0 and a break up within the third set, however the free-swinging Cerundolo fought again with a double break to take the set.
The match heading for a decider when the world No. 41 broke within the fourth, just for Nadal to save lots of his greatest till final and seal the win with a double break.
Swiatek, in the meantime, dominated the primary set in opposition to Fett in her first match for the reason that French Open, however needed to overcome a tricky interval within the second when Fett got here near securing a double break.
The highest seed recovered from the shaky begin to the set and rattled off 5 video games in a row, rising her profitable run to 36 matches.