Serena shakes out rust to advance in Auckland

TIL Desk Sports/ World number two Serena Williams shook out any cobwebs from four months away from tennis with a 6-3 6-4 victory over France’s Pauline Parmentier in the first round of the Auckland Classic on Tuesday. The 35-year-old had not played a competitive match since she lost to Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals of the U.S. Open last September, withdrawing from all tennis to deal with a persistent shoulder injury.

The 22-time grand slam winner, who had participated in a charity doubles match with sister Venus against All Blacks siblings Julian and Ardie Savea before the tournament started, was appearing for the first time in Auckland and persistent rain on Monday postponed her first round match until Tuesday. She struggled with the wind and had some rusty moments in the second set when the Frenchwoman broke in the fourth game and held three break points in the sixth.

The top seed was able to overcome them, however, and won the match with her eighth ace. “It was my first match back in several months and I played a really good player,” Williams said courtside after she wrapped up victory in 75 minutes to set up a second round clash against qualifier Jamie Loeb or Madison Brengle. “The wind was really getting to me. Every day I have practised here there was no wind but today it was so windy. So it was fun. Actually, it wasn’t fun, it was interesting.