Williams has no official ranking after spending a year off court, which means she cannot be seeded for WTA events.

However, she can gain entry to eight tournaments in 12 months – including two Grand Slams – with her protected world number one ranking.

Halep said she thought Williams “should have been ranked as she left”.

Speaking after her fourth-round win over China’s Wang Qiang, Halep said: “To give birth is the best thing in the world. It’s more than a sport.

“I think she should have been actually number one seed in this tournament because she left as number one in the world.”

The Romanian was in the stands for the Williams sisters’ third-round match in California, which Venus won 6-3 6-4.

Halep’s coach, Darren Cahill, tweeted during a conversation with former world number one Chris Evert that returning female tennis players “should not be penalised for giving birth by starting from zero.”

Victoria Azarenka made her return to tennis at the Mallorca Open in June 2017 as a wildcard after the birth of her son.

She used her protected ranking to play at Wimbledon in the same year.

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Source: BBC

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Serena Williams’ first official tournament since becoming a mom in September was cut short by older sister Venus in Indian Wells.

Asked if playing Monday brought closure to what happened in 2001, seven-time grand slam champion Venus replied: “It never crossed my mind.”

More matches

But Venus, 37, did have a think of what made the difference between the sisters on court in the third round, their earliest tournament battle since meeting in the second round at the 1998 Australian Open because Serena is now unranked.

“I have had a few more matches,” Venus told reporters. “Even though I haven’t even played that much this year, the matches in the last year count.”

Once Venus saved break points in her first two service games, she got into a groove on serve and broke for 4-2.

The momentum stayed with Venus and she raced out to a 5-2 lead in the second but struggled to close things out.

She saved a break point at 5-4 though with a potent serve into the body while another big serve clinched victory on a second match point. Serena is famed for some of her comebacks but Venus indeed held firm.

The sisters — as ever — exchanged a hug at the net.

Serena won only half of her service points overall — it is much, much higher when her serve and game are working, even against Venus — and committed 31 unforced errors to go along with 22 winners. She lamented missing shots she said she would make 10 times out of 10 in practice.

Venus meanwhile was the more solid, striking 19 winners and 21 unforced errors in the tricky conditions of Indian Wells, where the balls zip through the air but then are tempered by a slow hard court.

“It’s definitely not less disappointing,” Serena said as she reflected on the defeat. “I wish it were, but it’s not. But then again, I wish it wasn’t. Then I wouldn’t be who I am. Yeah, so I just have a long way to go, and I’m looking forward to the journey.”

Miami next for Serena

“l’ll get ready for (my next tournament),” added Florida resident Serena, who will compete at one of her favorite events, the Miami Open, later this month. “I have a lot to improve on. It’s good that I don’t have to say that this is the best tennis I have ever played and I lost. My room for improvement is incredible.

“So I have just got to keep saying each tournament my goal is just to be better than the last, and I don’t — definitely don’t want to go backwards. I just want to continue to go forwards. I think as long as I can do that, I will keep getting better.”

Venus still has to go forward in in Indian Wells, whereas many of their previous tussles have taken place in finals and thus would have seen the victor hoist the trophy. Such was the case when they last squared off at the 2017 Australian

Open, with Serena prevailing in the early stages of pregnancy.

“Honestly have to get focused for the next match,” said Venus, who plays 21st seed Anastasija Sevastova on Tuesday.

“I’m playing a completely different player, new challenges. I really already was resetting, because the tournament is far from over.”

It is for Serena but she is sure to find herself in familiar surroundings — the latter stages of tournaments — soon enough.

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Source: CNN

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The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion will return to the WTA Tour at Indian Wells in California this week.

In an interview with BBC Sport, the 36-year-old American said she is motivated by the thought of playing long enough for her six-month-old daughter to have memories of watching her.

“It’s been hard,” she said.

“There have been so many days, even still, when I’m like, ‘how am I going to keep going?’

“It’s been really, really difficult but I keep going and I know that I might not be at my best yet, but I’m getting there and every day is a new day and every day I should be getting better.

“As long as I’m moving forward, even if it’s at a turtle’s pace, then I’m OK with that.”

Williams was speaking before competing at the Tiebreak Tens event at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

In an article for CNN last month, she wrote she feels “lucky to have survived” Alexis Olympia’s birth, having suffered a pulmonary embolism after an emergency Caesarean section.

But now, having played an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi in late December and a doubles rubber for the US Fed Cup team against the Netherlands last month, she says the time is right for her to return.

“I’m ready, or else I wouldn’t be here,” she said.

“If I’m not ready now, I’m just never going to be ready. I feel in two months I’ll be way better than I am now, but you have to start somewhere. I don’t want to keep sitting on the sidelines and thinking about it.”

Williams can take encouragement from her performance in New York on Monday. Her serve looked threatening and she hit some menacing winners as she beat another returning player – Marion Bartoli – before losing to Zhang Shuai in the semi-finals.

Williams last appeared in a Grand Slam at the 2017 Australian Open. Victory over sister Venus in the final left her just one behind Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

She has made no secret of the fact she is motivated by the thought of winning 25. And also by giving her daughter a meaningful chance to watch her play.

“I don’t need any more motivation,” Williams said.

“I have the best thing I could ever want right now. I’ve always been an extremely motivated person, but my main thing is that I would love for my daughter to be around with me doing great, and playing amazing, so that definitely gives me some motivation.

“I would have thought I would have retired six years ago, but I’m still here and I’m playing great, and I think I’ll still be playing good.”

She added it was “impossible” to say how long she would continue to play for.

Williams, who is unranked as she has spent more than 12 months away from the tour, has been drawn to play Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan in the first round in Indian Wells. The match is likely to be played on Thursday evening, Californian time.

She could play her sister Venus in the third round, but has understandably sounded a note of caution.

After all, the former world number one only gave birth six months ago, and six weeks of that time was spent in bed as she recovered from emergency surgery.

“My expectations, I don’t know what they are,” said Williams.

“I can’t go and say I expect to lose because that is something I will never say. It’s just a little different. I’m just expecting to see where I am more than anything.

“This is a good time to start for the summer. If I want to play in those Grand Slams [the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open] and play well, I think now is the perfect time to start.”

The only mother to have won the Wimbledon singles title since World War One was Australia’s Evonne Cawley (nee Goolagong) in 1980.

Another motivating factor, should Williams ever need one.

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Source: BBC

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The 36-year-old American last week played her first match since giving birth in September.

Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam winner and the reigning Australian Open champion, said: “Although I am super close, I’m not where I want to be.”

On Thursday, Britain’s Andy Murray pulled out of the tournament, which starts on 15 January.

Williams was eight weeks pregnant with daughter Olympia when she won her seventh Australian Open title in 2017.

The world number 22 said: “My coach and team always said ‘only go to tournaments when you are prepared to go all the way’.

“I can compete – but I don’t want to just compete, I want to do far better than that and to do so, I will need a little more time.

“The memory of last year’s Open is one that I will carry with me, and Olympia and I look forward to coming back again.”

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said: “I’ve been in constant contact with Serena and her team and know this is why she has pushed it and pushed it until the 11th hour to make her final decision.

“Serena transcends the sport in the way she approaches all aspects of her life. It was never going to be good enough for her to just compete.”

Williams lost an exhibition contest against Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi on 30 December 2017, in her first match since giving birth in September.

It is the first time since 2011 that Williams has missed the tournament.

On Thursday, men’s world number four Kei Nishikori withdrew because of a wrist injury.

There are also doubts over the fitness of Spanish world number one Rafael Nadal and Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, who won the title in 2014.

Serb Novak Djokovic, a six-time Australian Open champion, may also miss out with an elbow injury.

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Source: BBC

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The exhibition match in Abu Dhabi against Jelena Ostapenko was the American’s first match for 11 months.

Williams struggled with her movement at first but played some fine shots in a 6-2 3-6 (10-5) defeat.

Australian Open director Craig Tilley has said Williams is “very likely” to defend her title at the 2018 tournament, which starts on 15 January.

Ranked 22nd in the world, Williams would not need a wildcard to play in the first Grand Slam tournament of the new season.

“I’m excited. It’s good to be back on court, this is such a good time for me,” Williams, 36, told Eurosport.

“Motherhood is phenomenal. I was a little worried out there – I looked at my camp and asked, ‘Is Olympia OK?”
Williams, who gave birth to her daughter in September, had not played since winning her 23rd major singles title at last year’s Australian Open.

She initially struggled to get enough power behind her serve and missed several straightforward shots as French Open champion Ostapenko claimed the first set.

The Latvian pushed her opponent wide, with Williams’ movement looking sluggish at first.

However, she found more timing as the match progressed, increasing the speed on her serve and moving well inside the court.

A fine lob over Ostapenko was the highlight of the second set but the Latvian, who stunned Simona Halep at Roland Garros in June, overpowered her in the tie-break.

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Source: BBC

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The 36-year-old won this year’s event in Melbourne while in the early weeks of pregnancy and gave birth to a daughter in September.

Tiley told the Herald Sun the 23-time Grand Slam winner is “very likely” to return to tennis in Melbourne.

“She’s got her visa, she’s entered, she’s practising,” he said. “There’s no question she’ll be ready in our view.”

Williams, who has won the Australian Open seven times, has posted on social media that she has returned to training.

Australia’s Margaret Court, with 24, is the only player still ahead of Serena in terms of Grand Slam singles titles.

“She wants to break a record that is Margaret Court’s,” added Tiley. “It would be a pretty significant accomplishment for her to be able to do that.”

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Source: BBC

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Serena, 35, won 6-4 6-4 to pass Steffi Graf in the all-time list of major winners since the Grand Slams accepted professional players in 1968.

The American regains the number one ranking from German Angelique Kerber.

Australia’s Margaret Court is the only player still ahead of Serena in terms of Grand Slam singles titles on 24.

Favourite Serena too strong for Venus

Serena Williams went into the match as a strong favourite, but the tension was apparent as early as the third game when she smashed a racquet in frustration, picking up a code violation.

She had broken serve in the first and third games only to hand the advantage straight back each time, three double faults inexplicably littering a desperate game for 2-2.

It was clear that the six-time champion was struggling to settle, with 13 unforced errors in the opening five games, while elder sister Venus kept her under pressure with some deep hitting.

The decisive move of the set came with a superb drop volley followed by a thumping forehand winner from Serena to break for 4-3, and this time she managed to consolidate on serve.

In contrast to the opening stages, the following nine games went with serve – Venus recovering superbly from 0-40 early in the second set – but it was Serena who was creating the chances.

She finally capitalised on her sixth break point of the set with a brilliant return winner to lead 4-3 and followed it up with her best service game of the match for 5-3.

The crowd on Rod Laver Arena had been backing Venus from the beginning as she tried to win a first major title for eight years, and all the more so as defeat loomed and she appeared to struggle physically.

There was a huge cheer when she held serve to force her sister to serve out the match, but Serena recovered from 15-30 to earn match point and fell back on the court in celebration as her sister sent the ball floating wide.

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Source: BBC

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