Williams will play 148th-ranked qualifier Amra Sadikovic of Switzerland, a player she admits knowing nothing about, in the first round on Tuesday. “So for me it was just really a big joke”. Join The Roar for live scores from 10pm (AEST).
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“I think more or less about winning Australia, I think about winning the French Open; didn’t happen”.
She said: “I would be lying if I said I feel fresh, but I don’t feel fatigue”. But she’s appeared in the last three Grand Slam finals and has lost every single one of them.
Looking ill at ease, as though her quest for an elusive 22nd Grand Slam singles title was weighing heavily on her shoulders, the American struggled with her serve and sprayed balls wide on both sides of the court.
Two-time defending champion men’s champion Novak Djokvic was due to open play on Centre against Britain’s James Ward, with five-time women’s victor Venus Williams up first on Court 1 against Donna Vekic.
A couple of times during that first set Williams yelled in frustration as she failed to put her chances away and Sadikovic did her best to mix up her shots, playing what her opponent described as an “old school grass game” that sought to disrupt her rhythm. Stosur missed out on equaling her best finish at a Grand Slam event, a 2010 final appearance at the French Open, with a loss to world no. 2 Garbine Muguruza in the semis.
American McHale saw off Daniela Hantuchova 7-5 6-2 to secure safe passage to the second round, but also set up a daunting third career meeting with Williams.
LONDON (AP) – This was not the Serena Williams the tennis world is used to seeing on Centre Court.
“It doesn’t matter who I play”, William said.
Riske, a grass-court specialist, rallied in the second set after a lackluster first set in which she gave up the final two points of the set on double faults. “There’s nothing. mentally too hard for me”. “I don’t feel any pressure or stress”, Williams said. “I always expect the best of myself”, said Serena who won 12 straight points at the start of the match to open a 3-0 lead. “It is great to be back, my mom was in the Royal Box and now I need to get my dad out here”. “Well, maybe not anyone, but I’ve been pretty low”.
Sadikovic quit playing tennis two years ago, because she wasn’t enjoying life on tour and had financial problems.
When she captured her sixth Wimbledon trophy last year it capped the second time in her career she held all four Grand Slam titles in a non-calendar year. “I don’t feel any pressure or stress”.
In the second set, Vekic had a break chance for 5-3, but another unforced error squandered it. Tennis’ most marketable player, Maria Sharapova, has recently been banned for two years after being found guilty of taking a heart-disease drug – despite it being banned since January this year – as it increases the capacity at which such athletes can perform.
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“She’s done a lot for the game, she’s a great player but as we get older it gets tougher and she’s been around for 16-17 years and you’re going to have your ups and downs but I look at Wimbledon and she’s going to be right there”.
