Serena Williams surges back to get off the mark in her 17th Roland-Garros.
©Philippe Montigny / FFTSerena Williams has survived a scare and made a statement in her first match of her 17th Roland-Garros campaign against Russian Vitalia Diatchenko on Monday.
The three-time champion struggled early on to shake her own rust and to read the heavy, flat double-handed blows off both wings from the world No.83, before prevailing 2-6, 6-1, 6-0.
Williams had played just four matches since her shock Australian Open quarter-final capitulation to Karolina Pliskova, withdrawing from three straight tournaments due to a combination of a recurring left knee injury (Miami, Rome) and a viral illness (Indian Wells).
Had her day on Court Philippe-Chatrier continued the way it started, questions about her fitness naturally would have arisen. But the final two sets saw the 23-time Grand Slam champion in complete cruise control, moving better with the passing of each set.
© Philippe Montigny / FFTIt was three heavily one-sided sets of tennis on a blustery early evening on Chatrier and Williams was able to tighten up her error count and register more clean winners as the match wore on. Her first-set winners to unforced-error count (5-14) was in stark contrast to the second set (9-6) and a ruthless third set (11-4).
She ended up walloping 25 winners for the match - including nine aces - to Diatchenko’s 11.
The last time Williams had lost in a slam to a player hitting double-handed off both sides was against Marion Bartoli at Wimbledon eight years ago. Diatchenko, though, had beaten Maria Sharapova in the opening round at Wimbledon last year so had cause to back herself after storming through the first set.
With each bellow of “C’mon” from Williams, she quickly set about turning the tables and the Russian was unable to sustain her aggression, fading meekly as the 10th seed imposed her authority – vocally, physically and mentally – to roar home. This was Williams' 800th main draw victory and improved her record in the first round at the majors to 70-1.
The aura is unmistakable, but that’s not to suggest Williams is immune to nerves in a first-round outing. With scant match-play coming in, the rust was to be expected.
“It was weird. You know, I have been dealing with a lot, and then I just got nervous out there and I stopped moving my feet,” Williams said of her slow start.
“[It] was like concrete blocks on my feet. I was, like, ‘You gotta do something’. But compared to other matches, I'm always a little nervous in Grand Slams, especially in the first round.”
The Queen Bee could easily have opted for the apiology-inspired print others wearing Nike were sporting this Roland-Garros. She instead dazzled in a black-and-white striped two-piece ensemble designed by Virgil Abloh.
Her warm-up jacket was emblazoned with the words “champion”, “queen”, “goddess” and “mother” in French. Whatever you make of Williams’ on-court fashion choices, the American great never fails to make a statement.
Iconic.
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Serena has arrived.#RG19 pic.twitter.com/fGLbtDl58S
“Those are things that mean a lot to me and reminders for me and for everyone that wants to wear it,” Williams said. “Just remind everyone that they can be champions and are queens.”
The pressure of holding a win-or-nothing attitude when so close to equalling Margaret Court’s all-time Grand Slam record is only compounded with each major that passes. However, the 37-year-old freely admits she wouldn’t still be out there if she didn’t love her trade.
“I mean, there is only one way for me to enjoy it here,” Williams said. “I don't enjoy places when I don't win, so that's why I like playing in all four Grand Slams.”
Now there’s a statement few can make.
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
