[videowaywire video_id=”18B9315E1EB38009″]
*New mama Serena Williams emerged victorious in her return to tennis Thursday night, beating Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-3 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open following a 14-month break for the birth of her first child.
“It was incredible,” Williams said on court after the 1½-hour match. “It’s been over a year and a kid later and I get to go home to her now, and I’m excited about that.”
Her husband and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian looked on from the stands, as did her mother Oracene, sisters Lyndrea and Isha, her agent, and her coach Patrick Mouratoglou. Older sister Venus watched from a balcony seat in an upper-level box in the Southern California venue.
Williams has been away since winning the 2017 Australian Open early in her pregnancy. She gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. six months ago.
ESPN has the details of the match below. (Watch highlights above.)
Williams played from behind until breaking Diyas in the 11th game, reports ESPN.
She served a love game capped by a 100 mph ace in her first service game. She had break points in the first and fifth games but couldn’t convert. She started hitting harder and her familiar grunting returned when she tied the set 5-all.
Diyas and Williams traded service breaks early in the second set. Williams then broke her opponent again en route to winning the final five games. She smiled as she walked to the net, and her family gave her a standing ovation.
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” Williams said on court. “We always have a couple tight sets. It was good. I’m a little rusty, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just out here on this journey and doing the best I can.”
It was pointed out to Williams that it was International Women’s Day.
“I’m so excited to play on this night,” she said. “It was meant to be I think. I’m really happy about that.”
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