She committed five double-faults in the first set but none in the second.
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“I just needed to relax”. The 34-year-old grew increasingly frustrated as the match wore on but was rarely threatened by Gavrilova on centre court. “I really had to figure out a way to adjust”. Then she changed course, unconvincingly. Venus carried the shock all throughout the succeeding game with sister Serena. She’ll remain the favorite to retain her title.
People have long debated whether Serena Williams is one of the greatest female athletes of all time. 1980), a seven-time Grand Slam title victor (singles), and Serena Williams (b.
Three-time Olympic doubles champions Venus and Serena Williams lost for the first time in the Olympics in the first round Sunday afternoon in Rio. She’s now won 19 of her past 20 matches.
That’s because Williams cut down on her mistakes in the second set. “If it’s going out, maybe I’m hitting it a little bit too flat”. She owns 21 Grand Slam titles: seven in singles, 14 in doubles with Serena’.
Still, this was touch-and-go for more than an hour.
Williams compiled 37 unforced errors to 27 winners, and got broken at love while serving for the first set at 5-3, a game that included a tremendously entertaining point.
The sisters have won three gold medals and were a staggering 15-0 in doubles competition. “We honestly didn’t play our best whatsoever tonight”. I would be highly surprised if she didn’t play.
Serena Williams will get a chance to avenge her shocking loss in doubles play with a second-round matchup against France’s Alize Cornet in singles play Monday evening.
No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber overcame a scratchy start to dismiss Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia 6-3, 7-5.
After that defeat, Venus did not meet with reporters, but US women’s Olympic tennis coach Mary Joe Fernandez said that the seven-time major singles champion had been sick since before she arrived in Brazil. This year however, was a tough one specifically for both, BBC reported. “We honestly didn’t play our best whatsoever tonight”.
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Added Venus who has been fighting a virus, “Today was not our best day as a team”.
