LONDON (AP) 鈥� showed plenty of what made her a 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion in her first professional singles match in nearly four years on Tuesday.
The 44-year-old Williams wasn鈥檛 quite able to dominate like she used to, though, and was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by an opponent less than half her age, 20-year-old of Australia, in the opening round of .
Williams displayed the same powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes that led her to seven Wimbledon singles titles but the 87th-ranked Joint was able to handle the American standout鈥檚 pace and win more of the big points by hitting beyond Williams’ reach on Centre Court.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what just happened, to be honest,鈥� Joint said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get much sleep last night. I was up until like 2 a.m. just thinking about it.
鈥淪he has such an aura, she鈥檚 just a legend and this court has so many huge names that have played on it,鈥� Joint added. 鈥淚鈥檝e been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.鈥�
While Williams played two doubles matches just before Wimbledon to announce her comeback to the sport she once dominated, she hadn鈥檛 played a singles match since the
Williams has 98 career victories in singles on the hallowed grass of the All England Club. By contrast, it was Joint鈥檚 first Wimbledon victory in just her second appearance at the All England Club after losing in the opening round last year.
But Joint won a Wimbledon warmup in nearby Eastbourne last year and knows how to play on grass.
Doubles match still to come
Williams, who has no singles ranking after being out for so long, was given wild card invitations by Wimbledon organizers to play singles and also . Her doubles match will come later in the week.
Williams has said that having off from school inspired her comeback and it marked the first time that her youngest daughter, Adria, who is almost three, saw her play singles. Adira sat next to her 8-year-old sister, Olympia in the front row of Serena鈥檚 players鈥� box.
Standing ovation
Williams was given a standing ovation as she walked on court before the match started under a closed roof and several supporters held up signs with messages like 鈥淲elcome Back鈥� and one wore a T-shirt with the text 鈥淯nstoppable Queen.鈥�
Williams executed a delicate topspin lob winner early on and then cranked out a 121 mph ace to hold for 3-3 in the first set. But Williams also had a costly double-fault which led to the only break of the first set.
In the second set, Williams came back from 0-40 and saved four break points to hold for 6-5. Then Williams saved a match point in the tiebreaker with a big serve down the T followed by a forehand approach winner. Another big serve — clocking in at 122 mph 鈥� set up Serena鈥檚 first set point, which she converted when Joint missed a forehand long.
After winning the set, Williams pumped her fist calmly.
But Joint took control early in the third and a forehand from Williams sailed long on Joint鈥檚 third match point to conclude the encounter after 2 hours, 22 minutes.
Williams then smiled as she walked off the court to loud applause.
Williams and Joint both had 37 unforced errors, while Joint led 40-26 in winners.
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AP Sports Writers Mattias Karen and Ken Maguire contributed to this report.
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