Serena Williams made a winning return to competitive tennis on Tuesday as she rallied from a set down to beat Bernarda Pera 4-6 6-4 6-1 at the Top Seed Open in Lexington, Kentucky on Tuesday in her first match of the COVID-19 era.
This was the first match that Serena has played since the pandemic begun, causing the entire season up until this tournament to be suspended. Due to the ongoing health crisis, not only will the tennis be played behind closed doors, but there are also enhanced systems of health and safety protocols which will need to be followed. The Top Seed Open this week, marks the first sign of what competitive tennis can expect to see in a world reeling from a deadly pandemic due to the noval Coronavirus.
Williams was five points from falling to the American left-hander in the second set but suddenly showcased her fighting spirit and pulled away to set up a second-round showdown with older sister Venus, a 6-3 6-2 winner over Victoria Azarenka.
“It’s good just in general because I haven’t played. A lot of players have been playing – little things and little matches and playing against other players – but I’ve only been training so this was really good for me,” said Serena, who is gearing up for the Aug. 31-Sept. 13 U.S. Open.
The Top Seed Open, the first WTA Tour tournament in the U.S. since the COVID-19 outbreak halted play, provided a taste of what is to come for the 38-year-old American as she bids for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title in New York in the coming weeks to follow.
This time, not only will Flushing Meadows witness the magic of the US Open, but also the relocated Cincinatti Masters 1000 title.
“I’ve been through so many things in my career so this was totally different,” said Serena. “Being in New York will be a little different because there’s this massive stadium.”
Venus, who fell in the first round at the Australian Open, Acapulco, and Monterrey earlier this year, cruised through her clash of former world number ones as she turned aside the one break point she faced during an 80-minute win over Azarenka.
