Top seed Serena Williams suffered a scare during her second round match at the ASB Classic in Auckland on Thursday.
The 23-time grand slam champion was forced to battle back from a set down to see off compatriot Christina McHale 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. After a bumpy start to the match where Williams dropped serve three times during the opener, she managed to find her footing on the court. Extending her perfect record against McHale to 4-0.
“It was a good match for me, because I really need to play matches like that to get to my goals,” Williams said during her on-court interview.
“Tournament time is super important and match time is good. It’s fun to be out here after losing that first set, and I’m glad I’m still in the event.”
“I just thought I needed to figure out a way to win this match.”
It was the frustration of dropping the opener that Williams said she used as motivation to turn her fortunes around. It is not the first time she has experienced difficulty against the world No.86. In two out of their three meetings during the 2016 season she was also taken to three sets.
“I think today I just got mad,” she explained.
“Honestly, I said I wanted to win more than one match here in New Zealand, so I could do this.
“I literally thought about that and sometimes it’s the craziest things that get you motivated. “
The 38-year-old is hoping for a strong run this week in New Zealand ahead of her campaign at the Australian Open. Where she will be aiming to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 grand slam titles won. It was also in Melbourne where she won her last WTA trophy back in 2016 when she was pregnant with her first daughter.
Next up for Williams will be Germany’s Laura Siegemund, who knocked out rising star Cori Gauff. Like the top seed, Siegemund also rallied back from a set down to win 5-7, 6-2, 6-3.
“I’m still learning and that’s the problem that I have.” said Gauff, who hit seven double faults and 49 unforced errors.
“I didn’t play the right way and if I lost playing the right way it would have been fine, but I don’t think I was playing the right way.”
Also through to the last eight is Caroline Wozniacki, who is Williams’ partner in the doubles. The fifth seed required more than two hours to see off Lauren Davis 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. She will play reigning champion Julia Gorges next.
