Serena Serves Up Osaka Win to Start 2021 in Adelaide Exhibition

Debuting on the match court in Australia two weeks after arriving, Serena Williams opened 2021 with an (unofficial) victory. 

With a flurry of forehands and precise serves, the 23-time Grand Slam champion defeated fellow major-winner Naomi Osaka, 6-2, 2-6, 10-7, at the "A Day at the Drive" event in Adelaide, where the pair and many more of tennis' biggest stars spent their quarantine period in line with the country's COVID-19 protocols.

In a match played in good spirits in front of 4,000 fans at the Memorial Drive Tennis Club, the two former world No. 1s often exchanged smiles after thrilling rallies and chatted it up on changeovers. Each player broke serve twice in her winning set, but a string of strong points in the deciding tiebreak was what ultimately earned Williams the win. 

From a minibreak deficit, the American won eight of 10 points to lead 9-4, and though Osaka saved three match points, her deficit proved too much to overcome. 

“I haven’t played in front of a crowd in over a year. It’s been a really long time, so this is really cool,” Williams said in an on-court interview after the match. “For having us and trusting us… we’re so happy just to be here.” 

To her credit, three-time Grand Slam champion Osaka thanked the fans for their support as she stood alongside Williams at the mic. "I haven't seen people in... it feels like forever. To play in front of you guys is really amazing."

Among those also featuring at the one-day Adelaide exhibition are Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep and Venus Williams.

Check out photos of the event in the gallery below!