Serena Williams beats Arantxa Rus on return to Wimbledon after year off

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James Benge2 July 2018

Serena Williams overcame a testing examination from unseeded Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus on her Wimbledon return as she reached the second round in straight sets.

In her first match at Wimbledon since giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia in September, Williams was forced to dig deep for her 7-5, 6-3 victory over Rus, who gave no quarter in a combative display that eventually brought the best out of the 36-year-old.

An unconvincing Williams began with a double fault, the swirling conditions of Court No.1 offering little margin for error, and in both of her first two service games found herself 0-30 down. On the first occasion she battled through but even she was unable to keep digging herself out of holes early on, beaten by Rus at the net.

Of course by that time Williams had already broken Rus in the match’s second game, though she was far from pleased with her own performance, muttering “aye, aye, aye” when her backhand went wide early on.

EPA

There was cause for disappointment, not least because she allowed Rus to get away with a held serve when 0-30 down in the first set on three occasions. The Dutch world no.105 was playing with no fear, varying between counter-punching and hitting for the corners, where more often than not she would see her ball land in play.

EPA

A brilliant Williams passing shot at 3-3 and then another the following point seemed to pave the way for the 23-time Grand Slam champion to edge clear. However, Rus refused to let go until the 12th game of the first set, when Williams simply refused to let a break point go, sliding back to slice a desperate shot into play and getting back in position in time to watch a forehand sail long as she secured the first set.

(REUTERS)
Reuters

Williams task was no easier early in the second set, when she needed to summon up a 110mph serve to save a break point in the opening game. She was unable to keep holding Rus at bay, though the seven-time Wimbledon champion would doubtless have been unamused when an incorrect call by a line judge denied her a hold in the third game. Instead, Williams netted two backhands, handing her opponent an early break.

That early break gave Williams the impetus to raise her game and the standard of rallying between the two was exceptional. Even when the American finally got two break points in the sixth game Rus responded with a 118mph first serve, though she could not deny Williams a second time as her backhand slipped slightly wide.

From there Williams accelerated to the finish line, where Rus put up a sizeable roadblock. On five occasions she denied her opponent on match point, twice with superlative returns, but she could not on the sixth as the 25th seed secured her passage to round two.

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