Wimbledon, June 23: Defending champion Serena Williams, still searching for her Grand Slam form after a yearlong absence, recovered from a poor start Thursday to beat Simona Halep in three sets and move into the third round of Wimbledon and stay on course for a fifth title.
After dropping the first set, Williams regained her renowned fierce intensity and powerful shot-making to dominate the rest of the way, winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 on Court 2.
From 4-2 in the second set, the seventh-seeded American won eight out of the last nine games to re-establish her supremacy.
It was the fourth consecutive three-setter Williams has played since returning last week at the Eastbourne grass-court tournament. She had been out for nearly a year after two foot operations and blood clots in her lungs. AP
