A trio of tasty matches for Day 3
Katie Swan v Mihaela Buzarnescu - No.3 Court, Match 1
The locals in SW19 may be getting over-excited about Briton Katie Swan’s maiden win at the All England Club (and a highly commendable straight sets dismissal of Irina-Camelia Begu it was, too), but back in Romania, there is a growing wave of support for Mihaela Buzarnescu.
Here is a question for you (we shall dodge the obvious gag about fingers on buzzers): how come Buzarnescu is 30 years old, ranked No.28 in the world and yet many people have barely heard of her? The answer is simple: her career has been plagued by injury with the result that until last summer, her ranking had stalled in the low 300s. Eking out an existence on the lowest rungs of the professional ladder, she lived in obscurity.
But then, last June, she won three consecutive ITF titles and began her rise. From No.377 in the world, she moved ever upwards, playing 116 matches, reaching two tour-level finals and removing the then world No.4, Elina Svitolina, from her path on the way to the fourth round at Roland-Garros last month.
But Swan, at just 19 and making her senior debut at Wimbledon, also has that quiet confidence in her own ability. Now coached by Diego Veronelli, the man who took Heather Watson to her career-high ranking of No.38, she waltzed through her opening match with aplomb.
One woman just starting out on her professional journey, the other desperately trying to make up for lost time – it should make for an intriguing battle.
Karolina Pliskova v Victoria Azarenka - Centre Court, Match 1
In a parallel universe, Karolina Pliskova wants to be Victoria Azarenka. The Belarusian has done all the things that Pliskova has dreamt about: a serial Grand Slam champion, establishing herself as a regular fixture at the top of the rankings – these are goals that the No.7 seed is still striving to achieve.
That is not to say that Pliskova is too, too far away. She is a former world No.1 herself but that stint at the top lasted only eight weeks last summer. Those were the days when the top ranking was changing hands like the trophy in a game of pass the parcel. It was a discombobulating time as the best women in the world tried to sort out who was the new leader while Serena Williams was away on maternity leave. Then Simona Halep staked her claim and Serena came back to work. As you were, everyone.
Azarenka, by contrast, spent a total of 51 weeks at the top of the heap (and did it while Serena was in fighting form), collecting two Australian Open titles and reaching US Open finals along the way. But then she, too, left to have a baby and is still in the process of making her way back.
So, we have one player who is widely regarded as having the game to win a major championship (although probably not here given that she has never got beyond the second round) and another who knows how it is done but who has not had the chance to prove it for a couple of years. Pick the bones out of that one.
Serena Williams v Viktoriya Tomova - Centre Court, Match 3
Whenever Serena steps on court, the world sits up and takes notice. This year, though, her every move and twitch is watched, analysed and assessed: can she get back to the top? Could she lift the trophy this time? After 18 months away from the Grand Slam circuit on maternity leave, is it realistic to think she can be the Great Serena again?
The signs so far are promising. Her opening match was patchy in places but she did all that was necessary – she won. And if the example of her run at Roland-Garros is anything to go by, that is all she needs to discover her inner champion and start motoring through the draw. Just in case there was any doubt, she did warn rather ominously that her practice sessions are getting better and better so she has every confidence that when it comes to the match court, “I’ll get there”.
Trying to stop her is Viktoriya Tomova, the world No.135 from Bulgaria who had not won a tour-level match on any surface other than clay this season until she beat Tereza Smitkova in the first round. And Smitkova had only won one tour-level match, regardless of the surface, all year. The odds, then, seem to favour the seven-time champion in this showdown.
The question is: has Serena kicked on from that opening match? If she has, if she looks sharper or quicker than she did on the opening day of The Championships, then we could be in for a fascinating Fortnight. Once Serena builds up a head of steam, there is simply no stopping her. Watch this space. Watch this match.
