Serena falls in 3-set Wimbledon thriller in return...
Key takeaways
- LONDON -- Serena Williams showed plenty of what made her a 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion in her first professional singles match in nearly four years on Tuesday.
- "I don't know what just happened, to be honest," Joint said.
- "She has such an aura, she's just a legend and this court has so many huge names that have played on it," Joint added.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
LONDON -- Serena Williams showed plenty of what made her a 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion in her first professional singles match in nearly four years on Tuesday.
The 44-year-old Williams wasn't quite able to dominate like she used to, though, and was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by an opponent less than half her age, 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia, in the opening round of Wimbledon.
Williams displayed the same powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes that led her to seven Wimbledon singles titles but the 87th-ranked Joint was able to handle the American standout's pace and win more of the big points by hitting beyond Williams' reach on Centre Court.