NORTH CAROLINA – Serena Williams lost her first official match sincematernity leave as her and sister Venus were beaten in a doubles deadrubber by the Netherlands in the Fed Cup in Asheville, North Carolina onSunday.
Serena, who gave birth to her first child last September and had not playeda competitive match since her triumph at the 2017 Australian Open, showedglimpses of her prowess and rust during the 6-2 6-3 loss to doublesspecialist Demi Schuurs and world number 165 Lesley Kerkhove.
Among those in the sellout crowd for the World Group first round tie at theUS Cellular Arena in Asheville eager to see Serena make her competitivereturn to tennis was the 36-year-old American’s daughter.
“It’s great. It’s her first match so I’m glad she got to see it,” Serenasaid in an on-court interview.
Early in the match Serena showed the effects of her lengthy layoff, perhapsmost noticeably when she shanked a routine volley that left her bent overin embarrassment.
But shortly after, the owner on an Open-era record 23 grand slam singlestitles drew wild cheers when she confidently stepped to the net andstretched out to drive home a superb backhand volley.
Despite the loss, it was a positive step for Serena, who was bedridden forsix weeks from a series of complications, including a pulmonary embolismthat led to multiple surgeries, after her daughter was delivered byemergency cesarean section.
Serena did play an exhibition match last December in Dubai, where she lostto French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, and shortly after decided againstplaying the Australian Open because of fitness concerns.
The doubles dead rubber had no impact on the best-of-five tie as it wasplayed after Venus gave the United States an insurmountable 3-0 lead thatput the reigning champions into the April 21-22 semi-finals against France.