Serena admits being nervous during her highly anticipated mixed doubles partnership with Andy Murray; says she preferred to watch than play
Britain's Andy Murray (left) and USA's Serena Williams celebrate a point against Germany's Andreas Mies and Chile's Alexa Guarachi during their mixed doubles first round match at Wimbledon on Saturday. Williams-Murray won 6-4, 6-1. Pic /AFP
London: Serena Williams confessed to almost being overcome by the pressure of partnering British sporting icon Andy Murray in the Wimbledon mixed doubles, but it all worked out in the end as they won their first round match on Saturday, beating Germany's Andreas Mies and Chile's Alexa Guarachi 6-4, 6-1.
Seven-time singles champion Serena had fulfilled Murray's search for a partner — World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty had been previously mooted.
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However, as the match loomed on Centre Court her nerves began to jangle as she feared she would let down Murray on the court where he won two Wimbledon singles titles and the 2012 Olympic.
"At some point I started feeling a lot of pressure," said Williams.
"Oh, my God, I have to do well because this match is so hyped that I want to see it. I didn't even want to be in it, I kind of just wanted to watch it. Maybe I'll try to get a video of it or watch it somewhere.
"Overall I think I was able to handle my nerves pretty good, do better than I thought I was going to do."
Murray and Williams — both former world number ones — had little trouble in dispensing with their opponents.
"Obviously I had lost in the doubles earlier [with Pierre-Hugues Herbert] so all my energy is focussed on the mixed, but it was a good start," said Murray.
Murray said physically he felt fine after two matches in one day, save for a stiff back. The hip he had 'life-changing surgery' on earlier this year had not given him any trouble. "I feel good and am happy to be alive in this," said Serena.
Bopanna, Sharan out of mixed doubles
London: India's challenge in the mixed doubles of the Wimbledon Championships ended with the second round defeats of Divij Sharan and Rohan Bopanna, here. Seeded 13th, Bopanna and his partner from Belarus, Aryna Sabalenka lost 4-6, 4-6 to Artem Sitak from New Zealand and Laura Siegemund of Germany. Left-handed Sharan and his Chinese partner Yingying Duan lost 3-6, 4-6 to British duo of Eden Silva and Evan Hoyt. Sharan is still alive in the men's doubles competition. Sharan and his Brazilian partner Marcelo Demoliner are set to take on top seeded combination of Marcelo Melo from Brazil and Lukasz Kubot of Poland today.
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