Serena Williams walked out onto Wimbledon’s Centre Court, closed her eyes, took a deep breath and smiled at the ovation that greeted her.
Williams has consistently said she has nothing left to prove as she resumes the tennis career from which she evolved away in 2022.
But no-one was sure what to expect on Tuesday evening when she faced Australia’s Maya Joint in what was the 44-year-old’s first singles match in four years.
There would have been a moment of relief for Williams when she won her first point at SW19 for 1,462 days – a forced error from Joint in response to a huge return of serve from the American.
The match ended in a 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 win for Joint, who started strongly, weathered a second-set dip, and regrouped impressively from a break down in the third.
The competitive nature that propelled Williams to 23 Grand Slam titles means she will not be satisfied with the outcome. She has often said she hates losing more than she loves winning.
And this was not vintage Williams. She played better as the match went on before fading in the third set. There were, however, glimpses of the player that dominated the WTA Tour for over two decades.
“I was a bit cynical and very curious about what was going to happen in this match,” former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash said.
“What we saw is two people playing very good tennis and Maya being able to handle the pace of Serena.
“Serena played an incredible level. If she wants to play this way and play some more tennis, she is going to be a real handful.
“Serena played better now than she did at the end [of her career] four years ago.”
Williams may have downplayed the importance of winning on her tennis comeback, but it soon became obvious she was feeling the pressure.
Known for her heavy groundstrokes and devastating serve, neither shot seemed to find their mark in a tense opening first set in which she registered only five winners and two aces.
“Something Williams’ coaching team have been trying to point out to her is her breathing,” former British number one Laura Robson said on BBC TV.
“At times, especially in the first set, it looked like she wanted it so bad that she was almost forgetting to release into the shot.”
There were flashes of brilliance, with a number of serves clocking in excess of 120mph, but Williams’ movement looked laboured and she often conceded points without even attempting to reach the ball.
“There were some points that didn’t have the conviction she has always naturally had. It looked like she was pulling back at times,” Robson added.
