Venus Williams Falls In Wimbledon Warm Up Tournament

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Venus Williams Falls In Wimbledon Warm Up Tournament
By Ken Miller, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Thursday, June 15, 2023 10:16am PST USA

's-Hertogenbosch-- Tuesday in opening round action at the Libema Open at 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, the wildcard entry Venus Williams of the USA led 6-3, 4-2 before losing to her fellow wildcard entry Celine Naef of Switzerland 3-6, 7-6(7-3), 6-2 after two hours and 18 minutes of play.

Williams, whose ranking has dropped to 696 during her injury break from the tennis tour, had not played a professional tournament since sustaninig a hamstring tear in January.

With her younger sister and 23 time grand slam tennis

Venus Williams of the USA

Williams won the Wimbledon singles title five times but has not reached a grand slam final since 2017 at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

champion Serena Williams watching on from the stands, Williams was looking to get some grass court matches in ahead of Wimbledon which begins July 3rd in London, England.

The 42 year old Williams won the Wimbledon singles title five times but has not reached a grand slam final since 2017 at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Serving down 3-4, the 17 year old 202nd ranked Naef committed several errors to drop her serve and then the opening set after 35 minutes of play.

Set one was by far Williams' best in terms of winners to unforced errors ratio with the American striking eight winners to seven unforced errors.

In set two Williams capitalized further on her younger opponent's errors.

The American also struck several powerful serves and groundstrokes to move ahead 4-2.

However, serving ahead 4-3, Williams was unable to close out the match as she committed multpile forehand errors to drop the following two games to trail 4-5.

Williams rebounded briefly to strike several powerful forehands to hold serve in her following two service games to reach a tiebreaker.

However in the tiebreaker, Williams struck three forehand errors before then hitting two backhand errors to drop the set.

For set two, Williams finished with seven winners to 18 unforced errors.

Williams struck three forehand errors to lose her opening service game of the final set before she broke serve in the following game to level the set at one game all.

Williams then committed a handful of groundstoke errors to lose the next four games to trail 1-5.

Serving to stay in the match, Williams struck a down the line forehand winner to reach 30-15 before striking two consecutive double faults to face match point at 30-40.

Williams saved both match points and held serve to reach 2-5.

However the American, perhaps a bit rusty from her injury layoff, then struck four consecutive groundstroke errors to drop the final game of the match.

Williams competes next beginning next week at the women's grass court tour event in Birminghan, England where she has received a main draw singles wildcard.