French Open 2020: Serena Williams - Strange feeling in the new "home"
Serena Williams continues her hunt for the 24th Grand Slam title at both French Open 2020. The American is not quite fit in the tournament.
by SID / red
last edit: Sep 27, 2020, 07:35 pm
Serena Williams starts the next attempt on her 24th Grand Slam title in Paris. The 39-year-old American said before the start of the French Open tournament: "Physically, I'm not 100 percent." Williams suffers from Achilles tendon problems, because of which she did not appear in the preparation tournament in Rome. Instead, she trained on clay in the academy of her coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Despite the difficult preparation, Williams believes in her chance to finally set the Grand Slam record of the Australian Margaret Court in Paris. She has been waiting for her 24th major title since the Australian Open 2017. "I wouldn't play if I didn't believe in myself," said Williams, who is making her 18th appearance at Roland Garros. In 2002, 2013 and 2015 she had triumphed at the height of the clay court season.
Serena on Svitolina branch
Like all other players, Williams will be staying in a hotel near the Eiffel Tower during the tournament - and not in her apartment, which she has owned on the Seine for years. "That's definitely weird. It was always my home when I wasn't home," she said. Williams meets her compatriot Kristie Ahn in the first round.
In round two, Serena would meet the winner of the match between Andrea Petkovic and Tsvetana Pironkova, the planned quarter-final opponent is Elina Svitolina, who won the last preparatory tournament of the WTA Tour on Saturday in Strasbourg. Williams could meet Victoria Azarenka, against whom she last lost in New York City at the US Open, in the round of 16.
Here the single tableau of women
rg2020