By Ritesh Gupta
Experiencing both the highs and the lows, going from top gear to literally dragging herself on court, this is something which Serena Williams is used to, especially when she is performing at some of the world’s biggest tournaments.
Williams’ 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 third-round victory over Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the French Open once again brought to the fore an intriguing facet of the 12-time Grand Slam tournament winner.
Other than Pavlyuchenkova’s counter attack, Williams’discomfort, too, stood out. Expressing a little bit of pain, hand on her waist to accentuate the same, measured steps in between points…this is something which has been observed in the past, and today was no different.
Overall, the match was a roller-coaster ride.
Williams, who won this title in 2002, started with a bang, reeling off six games in a row, to bag the first set 6-1. Pavlyuchenkova, who paid dearly for her meek second serve, could barely bear the onslaught.
The rallies remained short, but surprisingly, the beneficiary wasn’t Williams, but rather her 18-year old opponent.
Pavlyuchenkova looked confident and the same reflected on court as she blasted winners. The pace could have unsettled anyone. She pushed Williams on the backfoot, made her stretch and dictated points as the match progressed. Not surprisingly, the turnaround was complete when Pavlyuchenkova restored parity with a 6-1 win.
For Williams, who was treated for her discomfort towards the end of the second set, a vital breakthrough came when she broke her opponent for 3-1 lead. This was not before Williams herself saved three break points in the previous game. Thereafter, the world number one was back to her winning ways.
Its never easy to play in pain and face a resurgent opponent. Winning is not about blasting winners, there is lot more to it. And no one knows this better than Williams in the women’s game today.
For Pavlyuchenkova, she has the power and the attitude to make it big. But she needs to learn about sustaining the tempo. That casual walk from Williams, which she took from the baseline to the net after her victory, depicts how to overcome hurdles in this competitive world.