By Chris Oddo | Tuesday May 29, 2018
Three-time champion Serena Williams made a successful return to the Grand Slam stage, defeating Kristyna Pliskova in two tight sets.
Photo Source: Matthew Stockman/Getty
In a match that played more like a grass-court affair than a grind on the Parisian clay, Serena Williams re-introduced herself to the Grand Slam age by producing a solid 7-6(4), 6-4 win against Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic.
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Williams, clad in an instantly viral cling-fitting black catsuit, seemed to warm to the task as the match progressed, and ultimately found ways to rattle the hard-serving southpaw across the net from her, thanks to 13 aces, 29 winners and just 25 unforced.
"I was struggling to get in a little rhythm because it was so much acing, so many aces going on," Williams said, according to WTA Insider. "But overall, I was definitely happy with my performance and how I played today."
It was a relatively tidy statsheet for Williams, all things considered. She was contesting her first match since March and her Grand Slam tilt since winning her 23rd major title at last year’s Australian Open. It became apparent early that her serve possessed its usual pop and polish, but as the match progressed it also appeared that Williams has regained much of the explosive movement and quickness that appeared to be missing when she appeared at Indian Wells and Miami this spring.
Williams had a set point with Pliskova serving at 6-5, but the Czech hammered one of 15 aces on the day and eventually forced a breaker. After Pliskova took a 3-0 lead in the breaker the 36-year-old rallied and took the next six points before claiming the opener in 49 minutes when a Pliskova forehand sailed wide.
There were five breaks in a second set that saw Williams move ahead for good for a 4-3 lead. But things weren’t uncomplicated from there—Williams took a tumble at the net and also had to save three break points while serving at 5-4 before converting her second match point and sealing the victory in one hour and 45 minutes.
Williams moves on to face No.17-seeded Ashleigh Barty of Australia, whom she defeated in their lone meeting at the Australian Open in 2014.