In her first match since the U.S. Open, Serena Williams hit the ground running in her ASB Classic début, acquitting herself well in her return to defeat French veteran Pauline Parmentier, 6-3, 6-4, to book her place in round two, where she will meet fellow American Madison Brengle.
Serena Shakes Off Any Early Rust, Surges to One-Set Advantage
In her first match since September, a little competitive rust was expected of Williams, who had yet to play since the crushing defeat that ended her record-tying reign as the number one ranking, and it was Parmentier who took full advantage. Without having to do very much, the Frenchwoman drew first blood right off the bat before consolidating the break at love with some massive serving to jump out to an early lead.
After failing to make a single first serve in her opening service game, the former world number one was eager to reassert her dominance in her return to the WTA, and with the help of shots like these, she was quick to finally get off the mark and onto the board.
While Parmentier managed to hold her own in her own service games, it was only a matter of time until Williams would come roaring back in pursuit of the early break she surrendered. With her first few chances to get back on level terms, the top seed made no mistake, breaking back at the second time of asking to restore parity at three-games-all.
From there, the American would continue trudging forward and never looked back, reeling off the last three games of the set to make it five in a row and claim the opener, 6-3, in just under half an hour—halfway home to her first victory of 2017.
Serena Soars to First Victory of 2017
The second set started in stark contrast to the first, with Williams carrying her momentum from the previous set to pick up right where she left off. After trading holds with the world number 69, the former world number one restamped her authority on Parmentier, breaking the Frenchwoman for the third time to move a set and 2-1 to the good.
But Parmentier certainly wasn’t done yet; with the help of some massive hitting, especially from her forehand side, the Frenchwoman stunningly broke straight back, and it was now her turn to go on a hot streak. Once she edged her nose back in front with very little difficulty, the French veteran had three chances scattered in the sixth game to break the Williams serve once more. But alas, she was unable to take them, and it ultimately came back to haunt her in the end.
Pumped and determined to seal the deal in straight sets, Williams made Parmentier pay for failing to take her chances in the previous game by breaking at the first time of asking herself in the following game to move ahead, now a set and 4-3 to the good.
In danger of being broken once more in the game that followed suit, the American luckily erased both break point opportunities and from there, it was all smooth sailing for the world number two. With the chance to serve out her first win of the New Year, Williams showed no rust, sealing it in the best way she knows how: with her eighth ace of the match.
“It’s my first match back in several months and I was playing a really good player today,” she said during her on-court interview.
“I’m feeling like I’m trying to get out there, and that every match counts. I’ve never played in front of you guys so this is really special for my career. I’ve never been here, so thanks for making me feel so welcome.”
Up Next for Williams: Brengle
Up next for the top seed will be her compatriot Madison Brengle, who won an all-American battle against Jamie Loeb to set up her second meeting with the former world number one, with Williams dropping just one game in their last meeting.