Serena makes winning start to Grand Slam return
Even the Parisian stormclouds cleared for Serena Williams on Tuesday (May 29) , as the new mother’s stepped back into Grand Slam tennis and the second round of the French Open.
Krystina Pliskova, who shared the Wimbledon winners’ stage with Serena back in 2010 — the Czech was junior champion as Serena won the real thing that year, played her part across the net on centre court, but there was only one star.
Dressed in a skintight, all-in-one black bodysuit, broken up by a vivid scarlet belt, Serenacaptivated the French crowd from the start of the contest to its 7-6(4) 6-4 conclusion.
The last time the American had appeared in a Grand Slam tournament was at the Australian Open in 2017, when she won it while pregnant with daughter Alexis Olympia.
This time there was a little rust to shake off — she only gave birth in September — and she didn’t quite move as when at her best. But all the same Serena was too strong, too good, simply tooSerena for her world 70-ranked opponent.
Next up for the three-times champion is Australian 17th seed Ashleigh Barty, who overcame a back injury to compete in Paris.
