Paris (AFP)
Serena Williams needed a set to warm up in the first round of Roland Garros on Monday against her compatriot Kristie Ahn (102nd), finally beaten in two sets 7-6 (7/2), 6-0.
The American champion, who celebrated her 39th birthday on Saturday, is once again set off to conquer the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam trophies held by Australian Margaret Court.
The first set alone lasted 72 minutes.
Williams, in black leggings, skirt and long-sleeved top, was led there 4-2, then 5-4 serve to call for Ahn, before coming off the tie-breaker.
His opponent did not register any more play afterwards.
"It's different," she said of this exceptionally autumnal 2020 edition of Roland Garros. There aren't many spectators, but it's good that there are a few, it is is nice."
"The last tournaments I played, there was nobody," she recalled.
The younger of the Williams sisters will face off in the second round against the revenge Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova, whom she recently defeated in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
© 2020 AFP