Serena Williams returned to competitive tennis on Saturday for the first time since giving birth, but she lost 10-5 in a first-to-10 tiebreak to Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi after an even first two sets.
A four-game run was crucial to Ostapenko's taking the first set 6-2. Williams responded in the second and won 6-3, showing flashes of her best to level things. The 2017 French Open champion took the deciding match tiebreak, though.
Williams was last on court in January, when she beat sister Venus in the final of the Australian Open. It was later revealed Williams was eight weeks pregnant when she won the title Down Under.
Given Williams has been away from the court for so long, the early stages of the contest were always going to make for fascinating viewing. She got off to a flier.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion was on the front foot immediately, conjuring three break points against the Latvian's serve. She took the second one to edge in front.
Credit: Bleacher Report
A four-game run was crucial to Ostapenko's taking the first set 6-2. Williams responded in the second and won 6-3, showing flashes of her best to level things. The 2017 French Open champion took the deciding match tiebreak, though.
Williams was last on court in January, when she beat sister Venus in the final of the Australian Open. It was later revealed Williams was eight weeks pregnant when she won the title Down Under.
Given Williams has been away from the court for so long, the early stages of the contest were always going to make for fascinating viewing. She got off to a flier.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion was on the front foot immediately, conjuring three break points against the Latvian's serve. She took the second one to edge in front.
Credit: Bleacher Report
