Serena Loses on Wimbledon Return

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 28, 2022 Serena Williams of the US in action during her first round match against France's Harmony Tan REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 28, 2022 Serena Williams of the US in action during her first round match against France's Harmony Tan REUTERS/Matthew Childs
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Serena Loses on Wimbledon Return

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 28, 2022 Serena Williams of the US in action during her first round match against France's Harmony Tan REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 28, 2022 Serena Williams of the US in action during her first round match against France's Harmony Tan REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Serena Williams was defeated in her first singles match for a year on Tuesday, going down 7-5, 1-6, 7/6 (10/7) to unseeded Harmony Tan in the first round of Wimbledon.

"For my first Wimbledon it's wow -- just wow," AFP quoted Tan as saying.

Seven-time champion Williams was cheered as she walked onto Centre Court for the evening match, but she looked rusty and was broken in her first service game.

Williams, far below her imperious best and apparently lacking fitness, bounced back, breaking in the fourth game to level at 2-2, buoyed by a supportive crowd at the All England Club.

The pair swapped further breaks but Tan, ranked 115th, broke again in the 11th game and held her nerve to close out the set 7-5.

Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, broke after a mammoth second game of the second set and went on to level the match 6-1.

The American was first to break in the decider but Tan levelled at 3-3.

Williams broke again in the ninth game, throwing her arms into the air in jubilation but faltered as she served for the match.

She faced a match point on her own serve in the 12th game but saved it with a forehand volley, taking the contest into a third-set tie-break.

Williams stepped up a gear, winning the first four points as the match, under the Wimbledon roof, ticked past three hours.

But still her French opponent was not down and out, winning the next five points to edge ahead.

Williams, looking out of breath, could not find inspiration netting when facing a second match point.

"I'm so emotional now," said Tan. "She's a superstar. When I was young, I was watching her so many times on the TV.

"When I saw the draw, I was really scared. She's such a legend. I thought if I can win one game, two games, that would be really good for me."

Twelve months ago, Williams quit her Wimbledon first-round match in tears after suffering an injury and she had not played singles tennis since until Tuesday.

Doubts had been growing about whether the former world number one -- who has slumped to 1,204th in the rankings after her period of inaction -- would return to the sport.

But she warmed up by teaming up with Ons Jabeur in the doubles at Eastbourne last week.

Williams, 40, won the last of her seven Wimbledon singles titles six years ago but reached the final in 2018 and 2019.

The American, who was given a wildcard for this year's tournament, remains stuck on 23 Grand Slam singles wins -- agonizingly one short of Margaret Court's all-time record.



Salah Penalty Seals Victory for Premier League Leader Liverpool against Wolverhampton

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 16, 2025 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 16, 2025 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
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Salah Penalty Seals Victory for Premier League Leader Liverpool against Wolverhampton

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 16, 2025 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 16, 2025 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)

Liverpool restored its seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win against Wolverhampton on Sunday.

But Arne Slot's team had to hold off a fightback from relegation-threatened Wolves at Anfield, which included a brilliant long-range goal from Matheus Cunha.

First-half strikes from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah secured the win for Liverpool and ensured it maintained its advantage over second-placed Arsenal.

Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target after the break as Wolves dominated the chances.

Diaz bundled the ball over the line from close range in the 15th minute to give the home team the lead. And Salah doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 37th after Diaz was brought down.

It was the Egypt international's 28th goal of an outstanding season.

But if the home crowd was expecting a routine victory against Wolves, it was anything but.

Cunha's drag-back and curled finish from around 20 yards (meters) in the 67th came after a sustained period of pressure from the visitors.

Before that Marshall Munetsi was denied when through on goal — it took a crucial block in front of goal from Jarell Quansah to prevent him from converting late on.