Tennis: Serena courageously wins her first victory of the year in Toronto

TORONTO: American Serena Williams signed her first victory of the year, six weeks after her failed return to Wimbledon, beating Nuria Parrizas Diaz (N.57) in two sets (6-3, 6-4) in the first round of the WTA 1000 hard-court tournament in Toronto on Monday.

Beaten at the start by the French Harmony Tan on June 28 on the London lawn, the ex-world No.1 suffered against the Spaniard, but found the resources to win in a complicated match, in close two hours (1h57).

Relieved, the 40-year-old American assured that this victory reinforced her confidence after a long period of absence on the circuit.

“I guess there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m getting closer to the light,” she said after the meeting. “I can’t wait to get to that light. I love acting, it’s great, but I can’t do this forever.”

“Sometimes you just want to try to enjoy the moment and do the best you can,” she added.

Williams thus won her first victory since June 4, 2021 and her third victorious round at Roland-Garros 2021, signing her first success in 2022, she who, before Wimbledon, had not appeared on the circuit for a year.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion won the opening round in style. Less swift, but relying on a fast serve like in her days of glory, Williams took her opponent’s face-off at 4-3 before serving to win the set which she finished with authority.

Carried by an enamored audience, Williams unleashed spectacular blows to save a break point at 2-1 against her, attracting yet another ovation from the public at the end of an incredible exchange, during which the two players surrendered blow for blow.

endless game

What followed was a bitter fight, neither of the two protagonists wanting to let go of their service, with however a slight ascendancy of the Spaniard over her illustrious adversary.

Each time the latter seemed to waver on the well-felt returns of Parrizas Diaz, the Floridian found a decisive blow to ward off the danger, as in this endless 8th game of the second inning. The ex-world No.1 now fallen to 407th place in the world, pushed to its limits, had to save several break points to finally convert its service (9 deuces).

It was the turning point of the match, because in the process, she broke again to open the way to victory on her own face-off, to the great satisfaction of the Toronto public.

In the next round, she will face the winner of the Belinda Bencic – Tereza Matincova match scheduled for the end of the evening in Toronto.

Another multiple Grand Slam title, Romania’s Simona Halep swept Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-0, 6-2 to advance to the second round. The former world No.1 wasted no time, finishing her match in 62 minutes under threatening skies.

Last winner of Wimbledon, the Kazakh Elena Rybakina for her part beat the Czech Marie Bouzkova 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1.

Latvian Jelena Ostapenko edged out Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina 6-4, 6-2, while Czech Karolina Pliskova edged compatriot Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 6-4.

Tennis: Serena courageously wins her first victory of the year in Toronto