WIMBLEDON, England - his first match in a Grand Slam tournament in nearly a year was over, and Serena Williams was crying as she waved to the crowd Wimbledon, weeping into her napkin, crying as she left one of the jurisdictions in which it has defined his career and has refined its intimidating.
But these were not tears of farewell or disappointment. They were tears of release and relief after a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 Aravane Rezai victory on Tuesday in the first round and after a year of major health problems and serious doubts about whether Williams back into the game.
"It was certainly very emotional for me because throughout the last 12 months that I lived, you know, a lot of things that are not normal things you guys do not even know about," said Williams said. "So it's just a long and arduous. To raise is still quite impressive. "
The last time Williams played on center court at Wimbledon was last July when she beat Vera Zvonareva in straight sets to win his fourth Wimbledon singles title and 13th Grand Slam singles title.
But Williams then missed 11 months of competition after two operations to repair a torn tendon in his right foot and then the hospital to recover from blood clots in his lungs and a hematoma that required emergency treatment.
She said she feared for her life at a time, but she also said she was still determined to return to the sport she dominated intermittently since the early 2000s. After Williams began practicing again in April, she returned to the circuit for the tournament in Eastbourne grass-court last week and lost the second round in three sets to Zvonareva.
On Tuesday, at the age of 29 and ranked seventh, she returned to Grand Slam action against Rezai, an unseeded French player with remarkable power that has modeled his game on Williams and her older sister Venus.
While Serena Williams struggled at times with his movement, his first-served consistency and her return, she also showed frequent lightning vintage Williams forehand winners tear extension and ending with 13 aces, including one on last point that its reduced to tears.
"It was a year of disaster, but you know I was praying and I have my family and I love tennis, and being able to return to Wimbledon is pretty impressive," said Williams . "I did not expect to play. I'm just happy. I've never cried with joy for nothing."
Williams will now face seeded Simona Halep of Romania, who is ranked 58th in the second round, which is scheduled for Thursday. Williams was pushed to three sets of three matches since his return. It is definitely rusty, but definitely dangerous, too.
"I was really impressed, and I think she can come back even stronger than before," said Rezai. "I do not know what she will do during the tournament, but I think it can go a long way."
Williams, by his own admission, with the extra weight. She resumed full practice about four weeks ago and stopped taking regular medication anticoagulants only three weeks ago. She said she also had a cold.
But endurance is less about on the grass than on other surfaces, because the points are generally shorter, and serve as Williams can do more damage. It is also an area - with low bounce and only feeling - that often rewards experienced players.
"It would be stupid enough not to count as one of the top three favorites here," said Lindsay Davenport, a former rival of Williams, who was a commentator for Tuesday's game on TV BBC.
Venus Williams, five-time Wimbledon champion in singles who returned to Eastbourne after a layoff of five months, also won his first round match here and will face Kimiko Date Krumm, one 40 years from Japan on Wednesday. The sisters are in opposite halves of the draw and did not play doubles together this year to conserve energy.
"I just wanted to win at least one game, seeing that I do not play doubles," said Serena Williams. "It was a great victory for me."
Rezai, a girl of 24, of Iranian parents who immigrated to France, is one of the few players on the circuit who can match the power base of Williams off both wings.
His career unconventional and rising modest means were also some similarities with the path of Williams. " His father, Arsalan, a soccer goalkeeper ancient Iran, decided early that she would become a tennis champion, and although Arsalan had little background in tennis, he studied books and videos learn the game and technique. It has long cited the Williams family as a source of inspiration.
But these were not tears of farewell or disappointment. They were tears of release and relief after a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 Aravane Rezai victory on Tuesday in the first round and after a year of major health problems and serious doubts about whether Williams back into the game.
"It was certainly very emotional for me because throughout the last 12 months that I lived, you know, a lot of things that are not normal things you guys do not even know about," said Williams said. "So it's just a long and arduous. To raise is still quite impressive. "
The last time Williams played on center court at Wimbledon was last July when she beat Vera Zvonareva in straight sets to win his fourth Wimbledon singles title and 13th Grand Slam singles title.
But Williams then missed 11 months of competition after two operations to repair a torn tendon in his right foot and then the hospital to recover from blood clots in his lungs and a hematoma that required emergency treatment.
She said she feared for her life at a time, but she also said she was still determined to return to the sport she dominated intermittently since the early 2000s. After Williams began practicing again in April, she returned to the circuit for the tournament in Eastbourne grass-court last week and lost the second round in three sets to Zvonareva.
On Tuesday, at the age of 29 and ranked seventh, she returned to Grand Slam action against Rezai, an unseeded French player with remarkable power that has modeled his game on Williams and her older sister Venus.
While Serena Williams struggled at times with his movement, his first-served consistency and her return, she also showed frequent lightning vintage Williams forehand winners tear extension and ending with 13 aces, including one on last point that its reduced to tears.
"It was a year of disaster, but you know I was praying and I have my family and I love tennis, and being able to return to Wimbledon is pretty impressive," said Williams . "I did not expect to play. I'm just happy. I've never cried with joy for nothing."
Williams will now face seeded Simona Halep of Romania, who is ranked 58th in the second round, which is scheduled for Thursday. Williams was pushed to three sets of three matches since his return. It is definitely rusty, but definitely dangerous, too.
"I was really impressed, and I think she can come back even stronger than before," said Rezai. "I do not know what she will do during the tournament, but I think it can go a long way."
Williams, by his own admission, with the extra weight. She resumed full practice about four weeks ago and stopped taking regular medication anticoagulants only three weeks ago. She said she also had a cold.
But endurance is less about on the grass than on other surfaces, because the points are generally shorter, and serve as Williams can do more damage. It is also an area - with low bounce and only feeling - that often rewards experienced players.
"It would be stupid enough not to count as one of the top three favorites here," said Lindsay Davenport, a former rival of Williams, who was a commentator for Tuesday's game on TV BBC.
Venus Williams, five-time Wimbledon champion in singles who returned to Eastbourne after a layoff of five months, also won his first round match here and will face Kimiko Date Krumm, one 40 years from Japan on Wednesday. The sisters are in opposite halves of the draw and did not play doubles together this year to conserve energy.
"I just wanted to win at least one game, seeing that I do not play doubles," said Serena Williams. "It was a great victory for me."
Rezai, a girl of 24, of Iranian parents who immigrated to France, is one of the few players on the circuit who can match the power base of Williams off both wings.
His career unconventional and rising modest means were also some similarities with the path of Williams. " His father, Arsalan, a soccer goalkeeper ancient Iran, decided early that she would become a tennis champion, and although Arsalan had little background in tennis, he studied books and videos learn the game and technique. It has long cited the Williams family as a source of inspiration.
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