Wimbledon 2022: Emma Raducanu wins Centre Court debut as Andy Murray starts with victory
Serena Williams was denied a stunning comeback on her Wimbledon return and first singles match in 12 months as Harmony Tan edged a three-set epic under the roof on Centre Court.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion Williams, whose last match came as she tore her hamstring during a first-round defeat on Centre Court 364 days ago, fought from a set down but had no answers to the tenacity and brilliance of Tan, the world number 115 from France.
The drama peaked in an extraordinary final-set deciding tie-break, with the scores locked at 6-6 in the third. Tan displayed outstanding tennis to oust the 23-time grand slam champion, who still produced a remarkable performance after spending a whole year away from the top level of the sport.
Earlier, Rafael Nadal marked his return to Wimbledon for the first time since 2019 with a victory over Francisco Cerundolo, but it was far from straightforward for the 22-time grand slam champion. Nadal was cruising towards a comfortable win before Cerundolo clawed his way back into it by taking the third set. Nadal was staring down the barrel of being dragged into a decider, but he broke back in the fourth before quickly sealing a 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-4 win in over three and a half hours.
Follow all the action from day two live, including the latest results, reaction and analysis from the All England Club
Williams denied on Wimbledon return as Tan edges three-hour thriller
With her right knee knelt and left fist clenched, the power, poise and aura of Serena Williams returned to Wimbledon, only for it to be broken by a spellbinding performance from the virtually unknown Harmony Tan. With one remarkable comeback already complete, it would take an extraordinary effort to deny Williams, on a scarcely believable late-night thriller under the lights on Centre Court.
The scene was set for Williams, the script written too. It had been 364 days since she had painfully departed Centre Court, forced to retire from her first-round match after tearing her hamstring against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. The emergence on Tuesday evening out from under the royal box was the moment she had been building towards since. and after battling from a set down to lead 5-4 in the decider, the circle was close to closing.
But as one star appears to fade, another was born in the unheralded Tan, ranked 115th in the world, who displayed stunning tenacity and resilience to defy the baying crowds.
Jamie Braidwood29 June 2022 00:12
Serena Williams non-committal over future after first-round Wimbledon defeat
At 40, the American’s time in the game is clearly running out, but she remained vague about her future plans and refused to rule out another tilt at Wimbledon next year.
“Like I said coming into this, I’m just planning for right now, seeing how I feel, just to go from there,” she said.
Pressed on whether it was her farewell to the All England Club, Williams added: “That’s a question I can’t answer. I don’t know. Who knows? Who knows where I’ll pop up.”
Jamie Braidwood29 June 2022 01:59
Harmony Tan: ”It’s a dream because, you know, I saw Serena on the TV when I was young. My coach, Nathalie Tauziat, played her 20 years ago. So, yeah, it’s a big generation, yeah.
“She’s a legend. I mean, she won 23 Grand Slam. When you play her, I was scared. I mean, I was scared when I was on the court, but really happy to be there.”
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 23:31
Williams on whether she will play the US Open: “When you’re at home, especially in New York, and the US Open, that being the first place I’ve won a Grand Slam, is something that’s always super special. Your first time is always special. There’s definitely, you know, lots of motivation to get better and to play at home.”
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 23:28
Williams: “I think physically I did pretty good. You know, I think the last couple points, I was really suffering there (smiling).
“But, yeah, I feel like in just those key points, winning some of those points, is always something mentally that you have to have, that you kind of need. I did pretty good on maybe one or two of ‘em, but obviously not enough.”
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 23:20
Serena Williams 5-7 6-1 6-7 Harmony Tan – Game, set and match!
Some quotes from Serena Williams from her post-game press conference:
“It was really tough. I mean, I had some chances to win that first set. You know, didn’t work out, so… Yeah, it was just, yeah, different, totally different for me.
On what is next: “Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, obviously the summer, we’re in the summer now, right in the swing of it.
“Like I said coming into this, I’m just planning for right now, seeing how I feel, just to go from there.”
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 23:20
Serena Williams 5-7 6-1 6-7 Harmony Tan – Game, set and match!
Great interview after the match, too.
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 23:06
Serena Williams 5-7 6-1 6-7 Harmony Tan – Game, set and match!
The moment Harmony Tan wrote her name in Wimbledon folklore.
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 22:57
Serena Williams 5-7 6-1 6-7 Harmony Tan – Game, set and match!
Our initial report is in from the madness of the evening’s entertainment.
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 22:55
Serena Williams 5-7 6-1 6-7 Harmony Tan – Game, set and match!
Harmony Tan – an instant Wimbledon legend.
“When I saw the draw I was really scared. Because it’s Serena Williams, she a legend and I was like ‘oh my god how can I play, and if I could win one or two games it was really good for me!’.
“I would like to thank everybody today and my team and my coach Natalie Tauziat, who also played Serena. Thank you so much for being with me.”
Jamie Braidwood28 June 2022 22:51
