French Open 2021: Serena Williams defeats Mihaela Buzarnescu in second round

Serena Williams made it through the French Open’s second round with her thigh heavily strapped – but does she have the form to win an historic 24th major?

Ashleigh Barty of Australia plays a backhand in her first round match against Bernarda Pera of The United States. Picture: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Serena Williams edged a little closer to a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title with a battling three-set win over 174th-ranked Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania on Wednesday and declared: “That was kind of fun”.

The 39-year-old Williams, a three-time champion in Paris, won 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 and will face fellow American Danielle Collins for a place in the last 16.

Williams, seeded seventh, has been one short of Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 majors since winning the Australian Open in 2017.

“It was a good competition, she played well, I played well. The points were long. It was kind of fun,” said Williams, who played with her right thigh heavily strapped.

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Serena Williams plays a forehand during her women's second round match against Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

“I was smiling out there which is rare for me, but it’s always good to enjoy your job.” Buzarnescu, a former top 25 player who made the fourth round in 2018, said it had been one of her goals to face Williams before she retires.

“It was like a dream for a long time to play against her, because since I was young I was following her and her sister,” said the 33-year-old.

“It was like a goal to play against such a legend.”

TENNIS LEGEND DEFENDS BARTY’S MEDICAL TIME-OUT

World number one Ash Barty admitted that she’s “not 100 per cent” as she marked her return to the French Open for the first time since her 2019 title triumph by overcoming a scare to beat Bernarda Pera to make the second round on Tuesday.

The top-seeded Australian won 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, but she needed a medical time-out after losing the second set and later revealed she was suffering from a hip problem.

Ash Barty needed a medical time out for assistance of her hip.

“It’s going to be a little bit tough this week. I think over the weekend we had a bit of a flare-up through my left hip, which obviously just needed a bit of help today,” she said.

“I’m not going to hide behind the fact I’m not quite 100% but I can guarantee that I will go out there with the right attitude every day and be really accepting of that and give it a crack no matter what.”

Barty skipped the defence of her title in 2020 due to the pandemic but has been in rich form this year.

The 25-year-old has won trophies at the Yarra Valley Classic, Miami and on clay in Stuttgart in the run-up to Roland Garros.

Ash Barty returned from a MTO to progress to the second round.

I’m going to say this once and that’s it. @ashbarty IS SOO far away from doing anything like this as gamesmanship!!!! There is no one in the game as good a sport then Ash. So take your stupid and shove it somewhere it doesn’t shine. Ok!

— Rennae Stubbs OLY (@rennaestubbs) June 1, 2021

After easing through the first set on Court Philippe Chatrier on Tuesday, Barty went off the boil in the second and called for the trainer at the changeover.

The Australian had arrived on court with a heavy strapping on her left leg having also suffered a tournament-ending abdomen injury in Rome two weeks ago.

However, she broke the 70th-ranked Pera for a 4-2 lead in the decider and never looked back.

Barty will next face either Magda Linette of Poland or French wildcard Chloe Paquet for a place in the last 32.

Meanwhile, fellow Aussie Alexei Popyrin was no match for clay court king Rafael Nadal, falling 3-6, 2-6, 6-7 in straight sets.

Originally published as French Open 2021: Serena Williams defeats Mihaela Buzarnescu in second round