Wimbledon 2022: Venus Williams surprises herself - with a win!
Venus Williams made a successful comeback at Wimbledon 2022 alongside Jamie Murray. At least in mixed competition.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jul 01, 2022, 11:55 pm
Court 14 developed an amazing attraction on Friday afternoon, with spectators standing up to four rows deep, as the Englishman says. Why? Because a real tennis legend showed up there. In mixed doubles. No, we're not talking about Venus Williams yet. But by Sania Mirza, who once mixed up the double world with Martina Hingis. In the current Wimbledon competition, Mirza is traveling with double ace Mate Pavic, the two were able to celebrate a narrow win against Natela Dzalamidze and David Vega Hernandez.
The mixed doubles only enjoys a certain appreciation in the Grand Slam tournaments, until a few years ago there were also couples like Roger Federer and Martina Hingis playing against Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev in the Hopman Cup. And of course, at the Olympics, every gold medal is worth the same, as Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, winners in Tokyo 2021, will surely confirm.
And so to Venus Williams, who, by the way, won mixed silver alongside Rajeev Ram in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 (in doubles with sister Serena, however, three golds as well as in singles in Sydney in 2000). Venus decided to participate late, the organizers were happy to help the five-time individual winner of Wimbledon with a wild card, especially alongside local hero Jamie Murray.
Venus Williams did not expect to compete or win
And what must say? The start was successful. Williams/Murray beat Alicja Rosolska and Michael Venus in three sets and now face Alicia Barnett and Jonny O'Mara from Great Britain. Much to Venus Williams' surprise.
"I had no intention of playing at all," Venus said in her press conference. "I saw the grass and was suddenly thrilled." It wouldn't have been the same in Roland Garros, but Wimbledon apparently has a special magic on Venus Williams too. She hasn't played a match in almost a year, the seven-time major singles champion continued, and the training is completely different than a match.
"And all of a sudden it was like, oh my god. I not only played a match, I also won it.” She had never been so surprised before, because she always went onto the court with the attitude that she was always playing to win. In the next mixed round, this familiar feeling could have returned.
Here is the mixed tableau at Wimbledon
wimmap