LONDON. – Serena Williams’ first singles match in a year ended in a first-round defeat at Wimbledon on Tuesday but she still managed to bring the Centre Court crowd to its feet as they saluted a champion’s performance in a match that lasted over three hours.
Williams lost 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) to Harmony Tan but not before the 40-year-old American enthralled the crowd and even saved a match point before she fell in the tiebreak.
Day two got underway on a sour note when eighth seed Matteo Berrettini, last year’s runner-up, became the second top player to pull out with COVID-19 after Marin Cilic’s withdrawal.
An already depleted men’s draw only got poorer when Canadian sixth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime was knocked out in the first round by Maxime Cressy, who fought back from a set down to prevail 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(9), 7-6(5) in over four hours.
Rafa Nadal’s participation had been in doubt earlier this month due to a foot injury but, barring a third set wobble, he came through his first match on grass in three years to beat Argentine Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Nick Kyrgios provided fireworks in a five-set win over Briton Paul Jubb in a match marred by arguments with a line judge, the chair umpire and a heckler, with the Australian admitting he spat in the direction of the fan booing him.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek won her 36th consecutive match to record the longest winning streak in the women’s game in the 21st century when she beat Croatia’s Jana Fett 6-0 6-3. — Reuters
