Indian Wells (United States), March 8: Former World No. 1 Venus Williams emerged from a back-and-forth battle with a 6-4, 0-6, 6-3 victory over German Andrea Petkovic to reach the second round at Indian Wells.
The US veteran said she wasn�t feeling her best, and was at a loss for words to explain the win on Thursday.
�I don�t know honestly. I�m still trying to figure it out,� said Williams, who closed out the first set after a visit from the trainer, before Petkovic had the second set all her own way.
Williams was broken as she served for the match at 5-2 in the third, wasting one match point.
Petkovic had a game point to extend the match before Williams broke her in the final game to seal the victory.
�Every day is not your best day but that doesn�t mean the heart and desire aren�t there,� Williams said. �I�m just happy things went my way in the third set. It got really close there.�
Williams was playing her first match since a third-round loss to then World No. 1 Simona Halep at the Australian Open.
The 38-year-old will next face third-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova � this year�s Australian Open runner-up.
Serena Williams, also playing her first tournament since falling in the Australian Open quarterfinals, opens with a blockbuster second round match against another former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka. � AFP
