TENNIS WIMBLEDON – Serena Williams, five-time Wimbledon champion is trying to salvage a disappointing year at the majors thus far. Williams has won two majors per year with the exception of 2011 when she won no major titles, since 2009. To keep this trend running, Williams needs to first win Wimbledon. Today she dismantled Tastishvili 6-1 6-2 in an hour to move on through to the 2nd round. Cordell Hackshaw
Results, Order of Play, Draws and Interviews from The Championships
Serena Williams, five-time Wimbledon champion is trying to salvage a disappointing year at the majors thus far. Williams has stated that coming to this year’s championships feels like home. She added “I like the grass. It’s so unique. There’s so much history here. I love how everyone’s wearing white. I just love the tradition.” However, the world number one suffered two inexplicable losses at the first two majors and is hoping that Wimbledon will restore that familiar magic to her game. Williams has won two majors per year with the exception of 2011 when she won no major titles, since 2009. To keep this trend running, Williams needs to first win Wimbledon and in order for her to do that, she needs to win her first round match up against fellow American Anna Tatishvili. Williams looked slightly discombobulated at times slipping and sliding all over the court but she remained steady long enough to dismantle Tastishvili 6-1 6-2 in an hour to move on through to the 2nd round.
Williams served to open the match but it would take her 10 minutes, 3 aces, overcoming a double fault, saving 4 break points to hold serve finally on her third game point. Holding serve on this marathon game would release all signs of the infamous strange tension that has come to plague Williams in recent matches. “The first game was very important … I think she played well and I made an error or two, but it wasn’t like I played a terrible game. She hit some great shots,” Williams said of that opening service game. Williams then began playing her game as she quickly raced out to a 5-1 lead and broke Tatishvili again this time at love to secure the 1st set 6-1 in half an hour. In the 2nd set, Tatishvili kept things even at 2-2. However, those break points which she saw in the opening game of the match were never to be seen again. Williams was now swinging freely on her groundstrokes hitting winners from all corners of the court. Tatishvili was left scrambling to win points. Williams broke her in the 5th and 7th games to serve out the set 6-2 and take the match 6-1 6-2.
This opening round match was far different from Williams’ 1st round match at the French Open a month ago. Williams was far tidier and more efficient in her play today. She had 31 winners to 13 errors including 16 aces. She was winning 78% of her 1st serve points and 61% on her 2nd serve. There is no doubt that she would want to improve upon these numbers throughout the rest of the tournament but they send a clear signal to opponents that this is not the Serena Williams of last month but the old “Serena Williams” who has five Wimbledon singles title, five doubles title here on grass and two Olympic gold medals also won here at Wimbledon.
