Reuters
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 10, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. after winning her second round match against Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic REUTERS/Loren Elliott
Reuters
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 10, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. after winning her second round match against Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic REUTERS/Loren Elliott
Veteran tennis ace Serena Williams stormed into the 3rd round of the Australian Open with a commanding straight-set win over Nina Stojanovic of Serbia on Wednesday.
Not giving her opponent so much as a sniff, especially in the second set, Serena put forth a scintillating performance to overcome her opponent 6-3, 6-0.
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However, there were moments in the opening set when the Serb pushed Serena and even looked to score points off of her.
“She pushed me very hard”: Williams on her opponent
Speaking courtside after the win, the American acknowledged the same saying, “She pushed me very hard and I think she played really well.”
While eventually score-line may not have reflected it, Serena said the Serb stayed in the contest throughout the game and made it difficult for her to win games.
Reuters
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 10, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. after winning her second round match against Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic REUTERS/Loren Elliott
In praise of her opponent, the American said, “It’s always good to see young players like her come out and do so well. It’s exciting for women’s tennis.”
The current World No. 11 stamped her authority over the Serb early in the exchanges as she fired aces and won a high percentage of points on first serve to pull away from Stojanovic.
It was all Serena Williams in the second set
The second set saw Serena overwhelm the Serb into submission on the back of her incredible power play. While the Serb landed 52% of her first serves in the match to Serena’s 57%, she could only deliver a single ace to the American’s 6.
However, the real difference between the two was the points won on first serve, with the 39-year-old American winning 86% of hers on points serve and the Serb trailing significantly behind at 65%.
What’s more, while Serena managed to convert 4 of her 9 breakpoint opportunities, the Serb couldn’t capitalize on any of the 3 that she created.
With an eye on the elusive 24th Grand Slam title that put her at par with the career haul of the legendary Margaret Court, Serena opened her Australian Open campaign with a 6-1, 6-1 romp over Laura Siegemund.
While the disappointment of not winning a Major title in 3 years would surely be playing on her mind, it has only made her doubly determined to set the record straight at the Australian Open this year.
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