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Video: Clijsters, Murray get U.S. Open wildcard entries (Reuters).
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Williams is planning to make her return to competition at a brand-new hard-court tournament in Kentucky next month. Itll be Williams very first action given that playing for the U.S. in the Fed Cup in February, before all approved tennis was shut down the next month because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Williams is planning to make her return to competitors at a brand-new hard-court competition in Kentucky next month. Itll be Williams first action since playing for the U.S. in the Fed Cup in February, prior to all sanctioned tennis was shut down the next month since of the coronavirus pandemic. Pera wasnt blown away by Williams outstanding resume or power in their very first meeting. The left-hander broke Williams at love for a 3-2 edge on the method to taking the first set. Williams appeared to turn her left ankle somewhat and she fell backward on one return, losing the point and the next video game.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Serena Williams was calm in a return more dramatic than some might have expected – even after a long layoff.
Williams required to rally to win in her comeback following a six-month layoff, beating unseeded American Bernarda Pera 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in Tuesdays very first round of the Top Seed Open.
Williams advanced to a second-round face-off on Thursday versus older sister Venus, who dispatched Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-2. Its been rather the draw for me however, honestly, its ideal due to the fact that I dont play forever so I want to play the finest players. And I believe I got my dream.
Serena first had to clear some athletic hurdles versus Pera in the opening match at center court.
Looking to recover following the break triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, the 23-time Grand Slam champion labored to avoid her 14th loss to an opponent ranked outside the top 50. The ninth-ranked Williams quickly struggled after an appealing start as Pera, ranked No. 60, broke her at love in the fifth video game on the way to a first-set triumph.
The competitions leading seed placed herself to even the match to break Pera for a 3-1 lead in the second set prior to Pera addressed with a break in the next game. And it was an interesting video game. I simply had to kind of get used to a video game a little bit.
Williams required another rally to win the next video game before getting a hard-earned break to require a 3rd set. She bore down from there to break Pera at 3-1, then gutted out the next game at deuce and sealed the match with another break.
Williams took 2 hours, 16 minutes to make it to another day at an event where players want to polish their hard-court skills for this months U.S. Open in New York. She was particularly delighted to start after the long layoff and advanced by staying composed under tension.
Williams hadnt played considering that splitting 2 Fed Cup matches in February but used the down time to start building a fitness center and training on a court constructed by her hubby, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Williams got here looking cut and prepared to begin preparation for the Open.
Pera wasnt blown away by Williams outstanding resume or power in their first conference. The left-hander broke Williams at love for a 3-2 edge on the way to taking the first set. Williams appeared to turn her left ankle a little and she fell backward on one return, losing the point and the next video game.
She handled but had other stumbles to regain her footing – and her serve.
Venus Williams had a lot easier time versus Azarenka on a star-studded Tuesday. The seven-time Slam champ led 4-0 in the second prior to splitting the last four games to make her first victory in four attempts this year.
Up-and-coming Coco Gauff, 16, moved on to the next round by beating Caroline Dolehide, 7-5, 7-5.
” I played quite freely today and it didnt turn out regrettable,” said Gauff, who acknowledged some pre-match nerves.
Seventh-seeded Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champ, lost to Canadian qualifier Leylah Fernandez, 6-3, 6-3.
In other matches, CiCi Bellis beat fellow American Francesca di Lorenzo, a last-minute replacement for fourth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova, 6-1, 6-2. Anisimova withdrew Tuesday morning with an injured right shoulder.
Fifth-seeded Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan travelled past Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, 6-0, 6-4. Switzerlands Jill Teichmann ousted Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, 6-2, 7-5. And Anna Blinkova of Russia topped American Kristie Ahn 6-2, 4-6, 3-1 (retired).
Clijsters, Murray receive U.S. Open wildcard entries.
