Serena Williams’ return to Wimbledon ended with a 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 loss in the opening round to Harmony Tan.
After losing the first set in nail-biting fashion, Williams flexed her muscles in the second set. Unfortunately for the 23-time Grand Slam champion, the third set was filled with squandered opportunities.
Williams had an early 4-0 advantage in the tiebreak of the third set. Tan wouldn’t be denied though, rallying from that deficit and punching her ticket to the next round of the event.
The reactions to Williams’ loss are all over the place. Some fans were encouraged by what they saw from her, while others believe it’s time for her to retire.
What fans can agree on is this match between Williams and Tan was electric.
“In all fairness, she took a full year off from tennis,” one fan tweeted. “She still showed off her experience in this match regardless of what people will say about her. It was fun to see Serena even playing again and I can’t wait to see her at the US Open.”
“She needs to retire…it’s completely OK,” another fan wrote. “Absolutely nothing to prove at this point. Even if she doesn’t get that record she’s regarded as the best women’s tennis player ever.”
Williams was always going to need time to shake off the rust. And yet, fans were hopeful she’d be able to do that while advancing to the second round.
Hopefully, we’ll see Williams back on the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium later this summer.