In her highly anticipated return to the court, tennis legend Serena Williams appeared before Wimbledon’s packed crowd, only to lose in her first round to France’s Harmony Tan.
Returning to her roots last Tuesday, the 23-time Grand Slam champion fought a hard fight against Tan, ultimately losing in the 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7) marathon. Despite the fact that the French athlete is ranked No. 115 in the world and has never advanced further than the second round in any major competition, she was able to successfully defeat her opponent in a match Williams described as “insane” and “intense.”
The 24-year-old French tennis player certainly proved that she is a force to be reckoned with, emphasizing the fact that no one should be underestimated. This is the second time Williams has lost in the first round of Wimbledon, making Tan”s advancement a historic venture. The New York Times relayed that Williams shared in an interview, “Every match is hard; every match. You can’t underestimate anyone or any match.”
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The Paris native was 14 when she first went professional, but this was the first time she ever faced the historic legend in her career. When asked about how it felt to play with Williams, she revealed that she was “really scared” leading up to the match. Following the match, she was shocked by her win. “I’m really surprised today,” Tan confessed.
Serena Williams discusses losing in the first round of Wimbledon
In addition to interviews, Serena took to social media and opened up about her loss.
“That was insane and intense. Not the result I came for, but my goodness I enjoyed that,” she wrote in the caption of an Instagram post, following her defeat. Directing her commentary towards her fans, she added the sentiments, “I hope you did as well. Onward and up.”
Following her loss, many are speculating what this means for the athlete. Although this is her first high-stakes match since her injury, fans are left wondering if this is the end o the Williams legacy. When asked in a post-game news conference where she thinks her future will be, the 40-year-old admitted she doesn’t know.
“That’s a question I can’t answer,” she responded, according to ESPN. “Like, I don’t know. I feel like, you know, I don’t know. Who knows? Who knows where I’ll pop up.”
