Serena Williams: Can The 7-Time Champion Win Wimbledon?

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 02: Serena Williams of The United States serves against Arantxa Rus of The Netherlands during their Ladies' Singles first round match on day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 2, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 02: Serena Williams of The United States serves against Arantxa Rus of The Netherlands during their Ladies' Singles first round match on day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 2, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /
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Serena Williams wins her opener at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships. The American tennis legend seeks her eighth title at the Grand Slam.

Serena Williams is at a new stage of her tennis career. A new mother, the American great has played limited events throughout the past year. Even as recently as last year though, Williams remained dominant on the WTA Tour. She took home a title-win at Melbourne Park during the 2017 Australian Open. Defeating sister Venus Williams in straight sets, she won the finals meeting 6–4, 6–4. Now, Williams finds herself in a position she is not familiar with.

Throughout her entire career, the American superstar has proven that she is arguably the greatest player in either men’s or women’s tennis. The debate ought to come down to her and Roger Federer on the men’s side. While Federer is the favorite at Wimbledon this year, Williams enters as the 25th seed in the main event.

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Williams wins her opener in straight sets over Dutch tennis player Arantxa Rus. She takes the meeting, going 7-5 6-3. Williams found herself winning on first serve at a much higher percentage than Rus. Finding her rhythm in the second set, she was able to close out the match.

Despite her fantastic start to the Grand Slam, Williams ought to be considered an underdog moving forward. Women’s singles tennis has ushered in a new era of rising stars. Those include the likes of Simona Halep, Elina Svitolina, Caroline Wozniacki, and defending Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza. Williams last won Wimbledon in 2016 though and could pose an outside threat to the top seeded players on the women’s singles side.

Serena Williams has already cemented her legacy in the sport of tennis. With such limited play throughout the past year, any wins are a positive takeaway for the American superstar at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships. She could, however, unveil the brilliant tennis we have all seen from her at any given moment.

Next: Federer Seeks Ninth Wimbledon Title

Stay tuned to see how Serena Williams fares moving forward at Wimbledon. She takes on Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova next at the major tournament. Tomova looks to upset the tennis legend but will need to be at her best to do so. Check back for updates on all of the men’s and women’s action at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships.