What Serena Williams’ Queen’s opponent said was most ‘difficult’ about playing her
Serena Williams’ near-four-year absence from professional tennis was not long enough for her to lose her opening-round match at Queen’s Club.
The legendary star paired with Victoria Mboko to take on Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez in doubles and they quickly raced away with the match in front of 9000 fans in London.
Williams and Mboko won 7-6, 6-2 against the third seeds at the tournament and they rarely looked troubled by the doubles specialists.
In fact, it was Melichar-Martinez and Routliffe who looked overawed by the situation and that is something that has been confirmed by Naomi Broady.
On BBC’s coverage of Queen’s, Broady said she had a conversation with Erin Routliffe following her disappointing defeat to Williams and Mboko in the first round.
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“I spoke to Erin Routliffe after the match as well and she said she felt like a deer in headlights,” said Broady, after speaking to the doubles specialist following Williams’ comeback match.
“Even though she knew what was coming, she said it was difficult to compartmentalise it. Erin is a Grand Slam doubles champion, she’s won the US Open twice.
“She’s played on these huge stages inside Arthur Ashe Stadium; the biggest court in our spot. But for some reason, Queen’s Club, playing against Serena Williams, she just couldn’t focus.”
Williams and Mboko will next play Laura Siegemund and Leylah Fernandez in the second round as they look to continue the American’s brilliant start to her return.
The American icon will next head to the Berlin Open to play doubles, with many speculating she could also do the same at Wimbledon later this month.
In Berlin, Williams has been confirmed to play with Karolina Muchova, who is currently ranked World No. 10 in the WTA Tour rankings.
Despite picking up her first victory in nearly four years, Williams cited room for improvement about her performance alongside Mboko at Queen’s.
In an interview with The Tennis Channel on-court after the victory, Williams said: “Vicky’s doing great. I need to make some returns next match, which I will.
“I didn’t miss one in practice, but that was a little embarrassing out there,” she said about her performance, before suggesting she will improve: “But the good news is I can do better!”
That will be the last thing the rest of the WTA Tour’s doubles teams will want to hear as Williams threatens to break back into the elite upon her return.
The American is up to World No. 592 in the WTA Tour doubles rankings after her victory at Queen’s, which puts her alongside Aryna Sabalenka.
