Serena Williams Starts Wimbledon Title Defense With Win Over Amra Sadikovic, Talks About Olympics

World No. 1 and reigning champion Serena Williams began her Wimbledon title defense on Tuesday, defeating Switzerland’s Amra Sadikovic 6–2, 6–4 on Center Court in London.

Serena Williams Starts Wimbledon Title Defense With Win Over Amra Sadikovic

On match point, Williams’ return was called long but the American challenged it, and a bird’s-eye replay showed the ball was in. The victory over the 148th-ranked Sadikovic, 27, marked her 80th win at Wimbledon as she seeks a seventh career title at the All England Club. Serena will also look to tie German former player Steffi Graf’s mark of 22 Grand Slam titles for the third consecutive major.

“I think more or less about winning Australia, I think about winning the French Open. Didn’t happen,” said Williams, who has 21 Grand Slam titles, after the match. “I think about winning Wimbledon. I don’t necessarily think about winning 22. Mentally I’ve been further down than anyone can be. Well, maybe not anyone, but I’ve been pretty low. There’s nothing that’s mentally too hard for me.”

The 34-year-old will now advance to the second round where she will face fellow American Christina McHale, a 24-year-old who beat Slovak Daniela Hantuchova 7-5, 6-2.

Williams, who is also the defending Olympic singles and doubles gold medalist, also spoke about the games on Tuesday, and had nothing but praise for them.

“My experience has been really amazing at the Olympics,” said Williams. “I really loved going out there and competing…standing out there and being an Olympic athlete. It is really one of the best experiences that I’ve had.”

Williams won gold at the 2000, 2008 and 2012 Games in doubles, and another gold in 2012 in singles. She also commented on the growing fear over the Zika virus that has caused several athletes to withdraw from the competition, expressing mixed feelings.

“I think it is sad,” the American said. “But at the same time I obviously understand where they’re coming from and how they feel. Part of me feels that way, too, which is why I’m going in with a whole mindset of how do I protect myself.”

The mosquito-borne Zika virus has been connected to neurological disorders in both infants and adults. Tennis players have also cited their grueling schedule and points structure of the Olympics (players will earn no ranking points from Rio) as reasons for not participating in the Games.

No. 15-seed Nick Kyrgios also advanced to the second round at Wimbledon on Tuesday — for the third straight year– defeating 37-year-old Czech Radek Stepanek. 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (9), 6-1. Kyrgios saved two set points in the third set tiebreak, but was unable to close it out and Stepanek forced a fourth set. However, the 21-year-old Australian came out firing and ultimately converted his fifth match point to advance.

Kyrgios will next play German Dustin Brown, who beat Serbian Dusan Lajovic 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes on Tuesday.

Two Frenchman also advanced to the second round, as No. 12-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Spaniard Inigo Cervantes 6-4, 7-6, 6-4, and No. 7-seed Richard Gasquet beat Slovenian-born Brit Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. Tsonga exited this year’s French Open early due to an adductor injury in the third round against Latvian Ernests Gulbis leading 5-2.

No. 4-seed Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland advanced to the second round after putting up a strong fight against 19-year-old American Taylor Fritz 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-4.

“It was really good to step on to the court, the atmosphere. I was really happy with the fact that…it didn’t bother me. I wasn’t nervous,” Fritz said after the match. “From this match, you know, I think I can’t really just afford to play some sloppy points and sloppy games against such great players. They really take advantage of that, and they don’t let you back into the sets after you kind of made a couple of mistakes. They really get you.”

Wawrinka will next face Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, who beat Frenchman Stephane Robert 6-1, 7-5, 6-0 in his first Grand Slam match since the 2014 Australian Open.

In the all-British battle, No. 2 Andy Murray prevailed, beating countryman Liam Broady 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 before the rain settled in.

PHOTO: PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 02: Serena Williams of the United States hits a forehand during the Ladies Singles quarter final match against Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan on day twelve of the 2016 French Open at Roland Garros on June 2, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena