Sere makes winning comeback

Los Angeles, March 9: United States tennis icon Sere Williams made a strong post-pregncy comeback easing past Kazakhstan’s Zari Diyas 7-5, 6-3 in the opening round of the Indian Wells Masters here.

Sere, playing her first WTA Tour singles match in 14 months, confidently demolished her 53rd ranked opponent on Thursday, and will now face Kiki Bertens in the second round, reports Efe.

“It was incredible. It’s been over a year, and a kid later, and I get to go home to her now, and I’m excited about that,” the record Grand Slam singles titles winner said after the match.

“It definitely wasn’t easy I’m a little rusty, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just out here on this journey and doing the best I can,” added the 36-year-old American.

In other matches, Olympic gold medallist Monica Puig of Puerto Rico defeated Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3 and 7-6 (3) to move to the second round, where she will face 21st seed Astasija Sevastova.

Victoria Azarenka, winner of the tourment in 2012 and 2016, sent the British Heather Watson packing 6-4 and 6-2, and is now set to face world number 13 Sloane Stephens.

In the men’s section, Spain’s Ferndo Verdasco won against Argenti’s Guido Pella 6-2, 1-6 and 6-2 in a match that lasted an hour and 29 minutes. Verdasco will likely now face Grigor Dimitrov in the next round.

Argenti’s Horacio Zeballos also defeated the Japanese Yuichi Sugita 6-7(5), 6-4 and 7-6(4) in three sets.

In other matches, another Argentinian Nicolas Kicker topped Jiri Vesely 7-5 and 6-3, and Federico Delbonis won against local boy Ryan Harrison 6-2, 4-6 and 7-5. IANS