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SPORTS A17
Tuesday 19 January 2016

Super
Serena

Serena Williams of the United States makes a forehand return to Camila Giorgi of Italy during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in
Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. Williams started her bid for a seventh Australian Open title with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Giorgi.

(AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Serena Returns with 1st Round Win at Australian Open

JOCELYN GECKER with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Ita- with a friend at a San Fran- back. She signed the post, didn’t think.”
Associated Press ly’s Camila Giorgi. “Super Serena” and the Now, her focus has re-
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Williams hadn’t completed cisco restaurant. She wrote tale quickly made head- turned to tennis and the
— At the time, she called a competitive match since lines. 21-time Grand Slam win-
herself “Super Serena” and losing in the U.S. Open semi- about it in a Facebook “I didn’t think it would be ner says she’s fit despite her
posted a picture of herself finals, a defeat that ended such a big story,” Williams time off and a recent injury.
dressed like Superwoman. her bid to win all four Grand post at the time, saying she said Monday. “I didn’t “I haven’t played in a long
In hindsight, tennis star Ser- Slams in the same season. know it would be every- time, but I have been play-
ena Williams thinks it wasn’t The last player to do it was had noticed a man lurking where, every blog, every ing for 30 years so — I try
the best idea to chase after Steffi Graf in 1988. TV channel and every ra- to focus on that,” said Wil-
a man who appeared to The extended break raised near her table before he dio station. People were liams, who withdrew from
be stealing her cell phone. questions about Williams’ calling me. My dad was the Hopman Cup earlier
“Sometimes, athletes just form and meant she hadn’t grabbed the cell phone worried. I just had no idea this month after playing just
react,” the No. 1-ranked elaborated much publicly it would blow up like that.” one set because of inflam-
player said Monday as she on the cell phone incident, and left. Asked if she would do it mation in her left knee.
started her bid for a sev- which happened in No- again, Williams said, “Oh,
enth Australian Open title vember while she dined Surveillance footage God, no. I reacted and I Continued on Page 21

showed Williams quickly

leaving the restaurant and

appearing to confront the

man on the sidewalk. Wil-

liams wrote that she asked

the man if he had acci-

dentally taken the wrong

phone, and he gave it