Serena Williams seems to have overcome early struggles and has emerged as a strong candidate to win the 24th Grand Slam title of her career.
Serena Williams is part of the weekend’s action at the Australian Open but there will be no audience present in the stands.
The Australian Open started on February 8, after a three-week delay due to the coronavirus outbreak. A limited number of fans have been allowed to watch it live.
The American tennis player overcame some erratic shots to beat Russia’s Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Friday, to advance to the fourth round.
The enthralling match at the Rod Laver Arena left the audience in awe. But on the day, the government officials have warned that spectators will not be allowed in the main courts for at least five days from Saturday, in the wake of the COVID-19 positive case reported at a local hotel.
Williams learned of the ban after the match. This Grand Slam tournament was the first in a year in which a sizable audience had been allowed.
The 39-year-old player is seeking to equal the record of Margaret Court, who won 24 Grand Slam tournaments. Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam at Melbourne Park in 2017.
She was pleased with her performance. She exclaimed that she was excited to play in front of a crowd. She further added that she enjoyed the buzz of her fans and the love of the game has kept her moving in the last few years.
She was eliminated in the third round in Melbourne last year.
In the men’s category, Grigor Dimitrov advanced on account of Pablo Carreño Busta retiring at 6-0, 1-0.
William is preparing for a challenging match on Sunday with Sabalenka who has defeated another American Ann Li.
