Legendary tennis player Venus Williams may be 43 years old, but she still rivals the best in the world.
On Monday, the American signed a win over a WTA Top 50 opponent for the first time since the Beijing tournament in 2019. In the first round in Birmingham, Venus defeated Italy’s Camila Giorgi in three sets 7-6(5), 4-4. 6 and 7-6(6).
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To overcome the 48th bat in the world, the oldest of the Williams sisters needed 3 hours and 17 minutes.
“I think I played well today and she was great,” she said on the pitch after Giorgi’s game. I’m surprised she’s not number 1 in the world. There are so many moments when I thought it was over that out of nowhere she would start a coup. She pushed me to be better than I thought I was.
rare presence
The seven-time Grand Slam winner is taking part in only his third tournament this year, after those in Auckland in January and ‘s-Hertogenbosch last week. At this event on Dutch soil, she was defeated by the young Swiss Céline Naef.
It was a leg injury that kept her sidelined for six months earlier in the year. She feared the pain would come back on the first run, prompting her to seek treatment on her right knee.
“I started really well and in the third game my leg started hurting again,” Williams said. I thought, “Oh no, not that.” To be honest, it was very difficult to control my emotions. Eventually I got used to it and tried to ignore it. I couldn’t move like I wanted but I tried to hit every ball I could.
In the second round she meets the winner of the duel between second seed Jelena Ostapenko and 18-year-old Czech Linda Noskova.