A slow moving Serena Williams made an encouraging return to tennis after maternity leave, taking a set off the French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition match on Saturday
Serena Williams is dejected during her match against Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. PIC/Getty Images
A slow moving Serena Williams made an encouraging return to tennis after maternity leave, taking a set off the French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition match on Saturday, but said she has not made up her mind about defending the Australian Open title. In a match featuring a super tie-break and lasting one hour and seven minutes, Ostapenko won 6-2, 3-6, 10-5. The American was making a comeback after taking nearly 11 months off to have her first child.
Her last match was the Australian Open final, which she won despite being two-month pregnant. "It was good to be back out there. I missed playing, I missed competition, I missed the crowd, the atmosphere so much. It was really nice to be back," said Williams. "I don't know if I am totally ready to come back on the Tour yet. I know that when I come back I definitely want to be competing for championships," she said, refusing to commit yet to the Australian Open.
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