June 29, (THEWILL) – Serena Williams and Harmony Tan, put on one of the greatest Wimbledon battles, with the latter ending the former’s return in heartbreak, by defeating the former champion 7-5 1-6 7-6(7) in a timeless contest.
Williams’ fatigue from not having played a singles match since Wimbledon last year, showed as Tan got off to a far better start. The 24-year-old took advantage of the space on the court by attempting to get 40-year-old Williams moving in order to exploit her lack of match fitness.
Williams, however, turned it up a notch in the second set, dominating Tan 6-1 to force a tie-breaker, after displaying some of the typical Serena-power performances that had set her over and above the competition for the many years when she dominated the female game.
Tan fought back, but Williams made a crucial break that allowed Tan to serve for the match victory, only to break back dramatically to keep the contest alive. Both players had chances to win, but Tan ultimately prevailed in a tie-break that was necessitated by circumstances.
Williams’ unforced error — hitting the net—gave Tan the set and the victory. Tan was beaming on Center Court as she lifted her hands in triumph and was greeted by the 23-time Grand Slam champion with a hearty handshake. The world number 115 kept her composure in the crucial set tie-break to earn the most spectacular victory of her career so far.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
