Serena Williams (Photo Credit: AP)
Serena Williams, returning after almost three months, misplaced within the second spherical of Italian Open.
- AFP Rome
- Last Updated:May 12, 2021, 22:32 IST
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Serena Williams, taking part in the 1000th WTA match of her profession, misplaced on her return after almost three months away to Nadia Podoroska within the second spherical of the WTA Italian Open on Wednesday. The 39-year-old eighth seed fell 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 in beneath simply two hours to the Forty fourth-ranked Argentine, a shock semi-finalist eventually 12 months’s Roland Garros. Williams, a four-time Rome winner and 23-time Grand Slam champion, had not performed since her semi-final defeat within the Australian Open this 12 months. The early exit is a blow three weeks earlier than the French Open in Paris on May 30 the place the American continues her bid to equal Australia’s Margaret Court’s file of 24 Grand Slam trophies.
Despite a battling efficiency Williams couldn’t put on down the 24-year-old Argentine who broke the American twice within the first set.
Podoroska pressured a tie-break with an ace and squandered three set factors earlier than sealing the set.
In the second, Williams was trailing 5-2 however held and broke the Argentine to like whereas she served for the match to degree at 5-5.
Podoroska held her nerve to earn three match factors to safe simply her third profession win over a top-10 participant, all within the final eight months.
For Williams it was her 149th defeat, with 851 wins over the course of a WTA profession overlaying 1000 matches.
But she is not going to get to have fun with the Rome public, with spectators solely allowed from Thursday’s third spherical on the Foro Italico whereas restricted to a 25 % capability.
Podoroska subsequent meets Croatia’s Petra Martic, who earlier beat France’s Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 6-3.
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