The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Serena Williams

  • Arm injury knocks Serena out of French Open

     

    Serena Williams made a surprise pull out of the ongoing French Open on Monday thus aborting highly awaited clash against Maria Sharapova. The American at press conference called at short notice cited arm injury for the decision opt out of the clash which many fans confirmed they were eagerly looking forward to.

    Williams, a triple French Open champion and 23-time Grand Slam winner, was due to renew her bitter 14-year rivalry with Sharapova in the last 16 at Roland Garros on Monday before the last minute u-turn.

    Sharapova was looking to end her 14-year, 18-match hoodoo against Williams in a much anticipated grudge match, but now gets a walkover in the women’s draw.

    The 36-year-old American, making a comeback after maternity leave, told a news conference she had a pectoral muscle injury.

    “Unfortunately I’m having some issues with my pec muscle. Right now I can’t actually serve it’s kind of hard to play,” she said.

    On Sunday Williams played a three set doubles match alongside Sister Serena which they ended up losing 6-0 in the decider, with signs that there might be some discomfort, especially when serving.

    Rumours started to circulate around Roland Garros during the third set of the preceding match involving Nadal, and were confirmed when the media was summoned to an unexpected press conference.

    The American had not played a warm up tournament on clay coming into Paris, and this being her least natural surface there was always the chance of physical issues affecting her if she went deep in the tournament.

    She must now decide how to approach Wimbledon, which begins on July 2, and currently has no preparatory tournaments penciled into her schedule.

  • French Open: Serena makes fashion statement

     

    Serena Williams went for a striking cat suit look as she returned to Grand Slam action with victory in the first round of the French Open Tuesday.

    Dressed in a figure-hugging black outfit with a pink band around her waist, the 36 year-old American ,saw off world No 70 Kristyna Pliskova 7-6, 6-4 in an hour and 45 minutes.

    While clearly not at the kind of physical level that has brought her 23 Grand Slam titles, Williams showed that a winner’s mentality remains intact as she came through a stern examination after weeks of preparation on the clay

    Playing her first Major since the birth of daughter Alexis Olympia on September 1, she is determined to show that the competitive fire still burns bright.

    She will struggle to win the French Open on this evidence, but the medium term goal will be to mount a serious challenge at Wimbledon, and that may well be within range.

    ‘I’m very happy,’ said Williams. ‘She played really well; she made a lot of aces (15). Two years has been a long time but I trained really hard on the clay. I’m taking it a day at a time.’

    Pliskova is the twin sister of number six seed Karolina, a solid player but not as good as her sibling and someone who has never won a match at Roland Garros before.

    Williams had not played in a Grand Slam since last year’s Australian Open, and her only appearances at all since then as a singles player had seen her win two matches at Indian Wells and then lose in the first round of the Miami Open.

    She had deliberately held back from a return, skipping Rome and Madrid, in order to make sure she was ready to compete on what is her least natural surface, training at the academy belonging to her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.

    Her first point was a dropshot to chase, and it was the initial indication that her movement was definitely improved from her performances in America.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Serena to miss out on seeding as French Open follows rankings

    Former Tennis World number one, Serena Williams will not be seeded at this year’s French Open, according to the organisers of the May 27-June 10 clay court grand slam.

    Williams, a three-time champion at Roland Garros, discovered she was pregnant after winning the 2017 Australian Open and following her return from maternity leave in March, the American suffered early defeats in Indian Wells and Miami.

    The 36-year-old subsequently withdrew from Madrid and Rome clay court events and the 23-times grand slam champion has seen her world ranking tumble to number 453.

    “This year again, tournament officials will establish the list and ranking of the women’s seeds based on the WTA ranking,” the French Tennis Federation told The Associated Press.

    “Consequently, (the seeds) will reflect this week’s world ranking,” the organisers added.

    Williams, who gave birth to daughter Alexis last September, can compete at Roland Garros under the WTA’s special ranking rule.

    The rule allows players returning from a long spell out to use their ranking at the start of their absence.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Serena enjoys winning return at Indian Wells

    Serena enjoys winning return at Indian Wells

    Serena Williams conceded she had been rusty on her return to professional tennis after more than a year away from the game.

    She did enough to secure a 7-5 6-3 win over Zarina Diyas in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday.

    Williams, who had not played a singles match since winning the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, chalked up 27 unforced errors with 34 winners.

    This helped her to defeat her 53rd-ranked opponent in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd in California.

    “It was incredible. It’s been over a year and a kid later. I get to go home to her now and I’m excited about that,” Williams said.

    “It definitely wasn’t easy but it was good. I’m a little rusty but it doesn’t matter. I’m just out here on this journey doing the best I can.”

    Williams was only two points from dropping the opening set but showed the sort of poise that has earned her 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

    Read Also:  Serena ready for long-awaited return at Indian Wells

    After taking a deep breath, she unleashed a second serve that kicked up viciously, forcing Kazakh Diyas to reach high for her return, unable to get it back into play.

    Holding serve to level at 5-5, Williams broke in the next game, letting out a scream and clenching her left fist as Diyas netted.

    The second set was a fairly even contest, with Williams again coming through on most of the big points.

    The 36-year-old gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia on Sept. 1, but says post-childbirth health complications that included blood clots in her lungs were almost fatal.

    She is now healthy again, but skipped this year’s Australian Open because she did not consider herself tournament-ready.

    Williams is unseeded at Indian Wells, which is why she had to play the first round while the seeds, including Sister Venus, enjoyed a bye.

    The Williams sisters could meet in the third round.

    Serena plays Dutch 29th seed Kiki Bertens in the second round, while Venus takes on Romanian Sorana Cirstea.

    Former world number one Victoria Azarenka also made a winning comeback after eight months out of action, beating Britain’s Heather Watson 6-4 6-2.

    She last played at Wimbledon in July before the legal battle over the custody of her son kept Azarenka off the court for the rest of the season.

    The two-time Grand Slam winner also withdrew from the Australian Open in January.

    A commanding display in the first set saw Azarenka race to a 5-1 lead but Watson fought back to make it 5-4 before the Belarusian regained control to clinch the set.

    The second set was more competitive with Azarenka taking a 4-2 lead before being pushed in a 12-deuce game between the duo.

    But the 28-year-old held on to make it 5-2 and charge to victory.

    “It was tough, especially in moments that I have been out of the game…,” the two-time champion said after the match.

    “It’s a pretty good start. I had my heart out playing here and that’s the most important.”

    Azarenka has now won all six of her matches against Watson and will play U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens in the next round.

    NAN

  • Osaka too strong for Sharapova in California

    Osaka too strong for Sharapova in California

    Former world number one Maria Sharapova lost her second consecutive first round match with a 6-4 6-4 defeat to Japan’s Naomi Osaka at the BNP Paribas Open in California on Wednesday.

    Sharapova, who returned to tennis last April following a 15-month doping ban, continued to struggle to find form this season as she dug herself into an early hole and never fully recovered.

    Now ranked 41st in the world, Sharapova fought back from early breaks in both sets.

    But ultimately came up short on the key points in a performance that saw her commit six double faults and lose five service games to her 20-year-old opponent.

    “I knew (Sharapova) would fight for everything because I’ve watched her since I was little,” world number 44 Osaka said in a courtside interview after winning the first meeting between the pair.

    “I was just really honoured to play her.”

    A two-time champion at Indian Wells, Sharapova won the Tianjin Open in October for her first triumph since returning to the WTA Tour, but has not come close to challenging for a tournament victory since.

    In earlier action, American teenager Amanda Anisimova recorded her first top-level victory with a 6-2 6-2 thrashing of Pauline Parmentier.

    The 16-year-old’s poised and polished performance came in stark contact to the dismal display of Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, who was humbled 6-3 6-4 by American qualifier Sachia Vickery.

    Anisimova, the junior women’s U.S. Open champion, was stronger than the 32-year-old Parmentier in every facet of the game on the slow hard court in Indian Wells. “It’s very exciting.

    “I’ve worked really hard for this so I’m proud of myself,” Anisimova told Tennis Channel, adding that adjusting to the senior ranks had been more mental than physical.

    “The biggest thing is being tough mentally. I’ve learned about how to just be stronger during matches.”

    She will face Russia’s 23rd seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round.

    Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, who was also a teenage prodigy but has had her career blighted by injury, also advanced by overcoming an awful start and seeing off a match point to beat Hungarian Timea Babos 1-6 6-1 7-6(4).

    Former world number five Bouchard was outclassed by 100th-ranked Vickery in her first match since reaching a settlement with the U.S. Tennis Association ( USTA ), over a locker room fall during the 2015 U.S. Open.

    Her weak second serve was particularly costly as Vickery pounced time and again in front of a sparse late-afternoon crowd on centre court.

    All eyes will be on Serena Williams on Thursday when the American plays in her first singles event since giving birth last September.

    The two-time champion starts her campaign against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan in a first round encounter.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Serena ready for long-awaited return at Indian Wells

    Serena ready for long-awaited return at Indian Wells

    Serena Williams believes now is the “perfect time” to return to the WTA Tour in order to gauge her progress ahead of the year’s remaining Grand Slam Tournaments.

    Williams claimed a 23rd grand slam title at last year’s Australian Open before hanging up her racket for the season upon discovering she was pregnant with her first child.

    The American also skipped this year’s tournament in Melbourne.

    After using the time to work on her fitness, Williams featured in a Fed Cup doubles match for the United States last month.

    She is now scheduled to play at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells which starts this week.

    “My expectations, I don’t know what they are,” the 36-year-old American told the BBC.

    “I can’t go and say I expect to lose because that is something I will never say. It’s just a little different. I’m just expecting to see where I am more than anything.

    “This is a good time to start for the summer. If I want to play in those grand slams and play well, I think now is the perfect time to start.”

    The 2018 French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open are yet to be decided and Williams remains motivated to chase down Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 grand slam singles titles.

    She is also hoping to give her now six-month-old daughter a chance to have some memories of watching her mother in action.

    “I’ve always been an extremely motivated person,” said.

    “But my main thing is that I would love for my daughter to be around with me doing great, and playing amazing, so that definitely gives me some motivation,” she added.

    “I would have thought I would have retired six years ago, but I’m still here and I’m playing great, and I think I’ll still be playing good.”

    Unseeded Williams is scheduled to open her Indian Wells campaign with a first round tie against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan on Thursday.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Ohanian thrills wife Serena with billboards Ad

    Ohanian thrills wife Serena with billboards Ad

     

    Serena Williams is set to play in her first Women’s Tennis Association event since giving birth to Alexis Olympia Jr.

    And the tennis pro’s husband Alexis Ohanian surprised her with four billboards alongside the 1-10 freeway into Palm Springs days before the tournament’s kickoff.

    The billboards, which read ‘Greatest Momma Of All Time,’ also featured oversized images of their five month-old daughter with Serena, 36.

    The incredibly sweet tribute was seen by Serena as she made her way to the 2018 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.

    The first AdQuick Billboard featured their daughter staring straight at the camera with the word ‘Greatest.’

    The second one had the text ‘Momma’ next to a picture of Serena cradling Alexis in her arms.

    The third billboard had ‘Of All Time’ emblazoned on it with an adorable picture of their daughter.

    The final and fourth one featured the tennis champion looking at the camera as she held their baby with the message: ‘Serena Williams G.M.O.A.T. – Alexis Jr and Sr.’

    The BNP Paribas Open is her first event in the WTA Tour circuit since welcoming Alexis. The tournament kicks off on March 5 in Indian Wells.

    She has no ranking since she hasn’t played a singles match since her Australian Open win a year ago but is using a protected ranking of one in order to enter the WTA tournament.

    Serena last played in the WTA Tour at the Australian Open in January 2017, when she was two months pregnant; she won the tournament, marking her 23rd Grand Slam singles title.

    Serena played alongside sister Venus Williams in a doubles match for Team USA at the Fed Cup in mid-February; they lost in the first round against Demi Schurrs and Lesley Kerkhove.

    She played an exhibition game in December against Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi.

    In January, Serena withdrew from the Australian Open, after stating she didn’t feel physically ready.

    During her interview with Vogue magazine after welcoming Alexis Jr., Serena revealed that she dealt with two months of post-labor complications, including small blood clots in her lungs as well as her c-section wound re-opening.

    Serena and Alexis married in a Beauty and The Beast themed wedding on November 16 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • Serena Williams lists super property for $6.5 million

    Serena Williams lists super property for $6.5 million

     

    Nursing mother and American tennis super star, Serena Williams is looking to sell a 2.5-acre lot in the swanky Bear’s Club golf course in Jupiter, Florida, for $6.5 million.

    Williams, 36, bought the land from the golf club’s developers in 2013 for $4.125 million, according to property records, presumably to build a vacation home. But over the past four years the land has remained empty, and she put the property up for sale on Thursday.

    It’s the second listing the tennis star has served up in a month. She also put her six-bedroom Los Angeles mansion on the market for nearly $12 million at the end of October while at the same time buying new LA home for $6.68 million.

    Jack Nicklaus designed the 400-acre golf club in 1999, and it’s since become a hub for elite athletes, including basketball legend Michael Jordan, who owns a three-acre estate there, according to property records.

    Williams’s lot is a large, private parcel set back from Bears Club Drive, according to the listing with Michael Leibowitz of Leibowitz Realty Group.

    Her golf club parcel is one of at least three properties Williams has in Palm Beach County. She has two homes in the city of Palm Beach Gardens, the smaller of which she co-owns with her sister, Venus according to Mansionglobal.com

    Williams holds the most Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tournaments combined among any active tennis players. The 23 Grand Slam winner is taking a break from competing following the birth of her daughter in September.  She had initially planned to return to action at the Australia Open which ends Sunday but made a last minute u-turn noting that she is not yet ready to hit the courts.  Strong indications abound however that she will return to action

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Nigeria’s Bobsledding team tickles Serena Williams

    Nigeria’s Bobsledding team tickles Serena Williams

     

    Serena Williams has revealed her excitement ahead of  Nigeria ladies’ participation in the Bobsledding event of the forthcoming Winter Olympics for the first time.

    Serena who made a U- turn last minute over her initial desire to compete in the Australia Open, further revealed that she watched a video of the Nigerian Three-women team which were chilling according to her.  Taking to her verified twitter account, the 23 Grand Slam winner said” This video literally gave me chills, I am so excited to watch Nigeria compete in the winter Olympics bobsledding race the first time an African country has ever competed in bobsledding!”

    The video watched by the American tennis super star and mother of one, could be one titled “Nigeria Women’s Bobsleigh team celebrated in new beats by Dre advert”

    Nigeria’s trio of Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga are set to make history at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, thus stamping Nigeria on the world map as the first African country to compete in the sport at the winter Olympics.

    The trio, are all from sprinting backgrounds, and are also the first African team to make it into the bobsleigh after a Go Fund me campaign backed their training and qualification campaign.

    Pilot Adigun competed in the 100m hurdles at London 2012 while Onwumere ran for Nigeria at the IAAF World Relays in 2015. Omeoga, who will compete with Onwumere for the brakewoman spot, ran for the University of Minnesota.

    The Nigerian team who are likely to be the cynosure of eyes at the event said they are determined to leave their foot print on the sand of history on one hand and encourage others to banish fear in their lives and be ready to venture into any area of life and make a mark.

    “Our goal is to create a legacy where people will never be limited by the fear of the unknown.”

    Interestingly the Nigerian team will be competing against their Jamaican counterparts Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian and Carrie Russell who are making a debut at the event 30 years after their men featured at the event.

    Carrie Russell was a 2013 World Championships gold medalist in the 4x100m relay while Audra Segree also sprinted on the world stage.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Sharapova finds her groove on Melbourne return

    Sharapova finds her groove on Melbourne return

    Maria Sharapova on Tuesday resumed her career at the Australian Open in bright sunshine with a performance that went some way to banishing those demons.

    The 30-year-old former champion returned a positive doping test after a quarter-final defeat by Serena Williams in 2016, resulting in a 15-month ban from the sport.

    Sharapova was in dominant mood as she beat Germany’s Tatjana Maria 6-1 6-4 on Margaret Court Arena.

    There would be tougher tests to come for the five-times Grand Slam champion.

    But the relish with which she pummelled 22 winners suggests that in her second Grand Slam event since returning from exile, she could do damage, despite not being seeded.

    Sharapova, who fell foul of the anti-doping regulations after failing to realise that heart drug meldonium had been added to the WADA prohibited list, attracted more unwanted headlines last week.

    That was when she was selected for the draw ceremony.

    That decision by tournament director Craig Tiley raised a few disapproving eyebrows.

    But there was plenty of support for the 2008 champion on Tuesday with regular shouts of “C‘mon Masha, we’ve missed you”.

    After ending fellow 30-year-old Maria’s dogged second-set resistance with an ace, Sharapova admitted she had “shivers” walking on to court.

    Later, when addressing the media, it was very much business as usual with Sharapova reluctant to talk about the past.

    Asked if her return to Melbourne had produced flashbacks to that fateful day two years ago, she said: “No. It’s not the way I look at things moving forward.”

    Sharapova struck the ball with venom in the first set in which the only blemish was dropping serve to give Maria a game.

    The second set threatened to get a little tricky as Sharapova was broken to love to trail 1-3.

    But a forehand winner gave her break point in the next game and she converted it when Maria went wide.

    Sharapova broke again at 3-3 as her opponent, actually ranked a place higher at 47, double-faulted and Sharapova moved into a 5-3 lead as Maria began to feel the strain.

    The German managed to prolong the contest for another game but Sharapova finished off the match in style.

    She belted a forehand winner at 30-30 and then aimed a searing first serve bang on the line.

    NAN