Serena Williams wins first match since disappointing return to Wimbledon | NOW

Serena Williams has booked a victory on Monday in her first match since she immediately stranded at Wimbledon at the end of June. The 23-time Grand Slam winner reached the second round of the Toronto WTA tournament.

Williams met Nuria Párrizas Díaz, the Spanish number 57 in the world. The forty-year-old American beat her opponent with 6-3 and 6-4 in a match that lasted about two hours.

Williams made her comeback at Wimbledon more than a month ago, a year after she suffered a tear in her hamstring at that Grand Slam tournament. On her return, she was no match for the French Harmony Tan.

Williams, who has dropped out of the world rankings due to her long absence, said after her Wimbledon elimination that she wants to work towards the US Open. The last Grand Slam tournament of the year starts at the end of this month.

The Toronto tournament, where she will meet Belinda Bencic (WTA-12) or Tereza Martincová (WTA-71) in the second round, is one of the preparation tournaments. Williams has won the US Open six times.

With her 23 Grand Slam victories, she still has one less than record holder Margaret Court. Williams’ last Grand Slam title dates back to 2017, when she won the Australian Open.