Published : Jan. 15, 2013 - 19:12
MELBOURNE (AP) ― Serena Williams tumbled to the court and needed a medical timeout in the first set for treatment on her right ankle. Once she got up, it was all over for Edina Gallovits-Hall.
Williams routed Gallovits-Hall 6-0, 6-0 in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday despite the scary sequence in the first part of the match.
The No. 3-ranked Williams is favored to win the season’s first major, rolling into Melbourne Park with 35 wins in her previous 36 matches, including titles at Wimbledon, the London Olympics and the U.S. Open. But the injury could be a significant setback as she seeks a third consecutive Grand Slam title.
Chair umpire Kerrilyn Cramer (center) and Romania’s Edina Gallovits-Hall come to the aid of an injured Serena Williams on Tuesday. (AP-Yonhap News)
Williams said there was pain and swelling in her ankle and X-rays were an option, but she wanted to leave any decisions about treatment for a few hours.
“I’ve been injured before,” she said. “I’ve played this tournament with so many injuries and was able to come off pretty on top. So for me it’s just another page and a great story to tell the grandkids one day.”
Defending champion Victoria Azarenka also advanced, overcoming a wobble in the second set to beat Monica Niculescu 6-1, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena. Andy Murray won his first match as a Grand Slam champion, beating Robin Haase of the Netherlands in straight sets.
With a packed program on the center court, Williams was playing on the second of the show courts.
The 31-year-old American was leading 4-0 after 19 minutes when she fell awkwardly chasing a ball wide on her forehand side, putting both hands over her face.
She rolled from her back to her hands and knees, where she stayed for several minutes before she was helped to her feet. The 15-time major winner started limping before easing into a walking stride as she made her way to her court-side chair to have her already heavily taped ankle treated and then re-taped.
“I think I was really, really close to panicking because a very similar thing happened to me last year, almost on the same side, the same shot,” Williams said. “So I almost panicked, and I thought, I can’t do that. I just have to really remain calm and think things through.”
Williams won the first point after the medical timeout, approaching the net to hit a cross-court winner, seemingly unfazed by the ankle. She hit two more forehand winners to go up 5-0, then called the trainer back to the court to adjust the taping on the ankle during the changeover. She had more treatment after winning the first set.
Williams winced slightly after jumping to hit an overhead in the third game of the second set and called the trainer out again to re-tape the ankle during the changeover, leading 3-0.
She dominated the second set despite the injury, allowing the Romanian player to win just six points.
Murray beat Haase 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in the opening round and was asked what it felt like to play after his triumph at the U.S. Open, where he became the first British man since 1936 to win a major title.
“I can try and focus on the second part of my career now,” he said.
The 25-year-old Murray seemed more at ease and relaxed than he had been in previous trips to the season’s first major.
“It was a good start, nice to win in straight sets,” he said. “It was the hottest day we’ve had for a while so the court was playing much quicker.”