Venus Williams claims her first win over a top 50 player in nearly four years as she admits to being surprised to hit 200mph again
- Venus Williams caused a shock by beating Camile Giorgi in 48th place on Monday
- The seven-time Grand Slam champion rolled back the years in 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 victory
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Venus Williams stunned Camile Giorgi in 48th to take her first victory over a top 50 player in nearly four years on Monday.
The 43-year-old, now ranked No. 697, came out on top 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (6) on her preferred grass pitch at England’s Birmingham Classic.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion advanced to the next round after more than three hours on the track.
“I hadn’t played her in so long…I think she likes this surface…She’s dangerous here,” Williams said during the court interview.
The reporter replied, “You too.”
Venus Williams: “I hadn’t played her in so long. I think she likes this surface. She’s dangerous here.”
Interviewer: ¿You too¿
Venus: ¿Oh, thank you! And I hit some servers at 120 mph today, so I was like ‘Oh my god. There it is. I’ve missed you!
Always charming ¿ pic.twitter.com/wf6jOMGcaZ
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 19, 2023
Venus Williams turned back the years when she defeated 48th ranked Camile Giorgi on grass Monday
The five-time Wimbledon winner then admitted she was surprised when she hit 200 km/h again.
She replied, ‘Oh, thank you! And I was hitting some servers at 120 mph today, so I was like, “Oh my God. There it is. I missed you!”
Williams was out for six months with a hamstring injury sustained in Auckland in the first week of the year.
On her return last week, she lost to 17-year-old Celine Naef in the first round of the Libema Open in the Netherlands.
The American star said it was ‘touch and go’ against Giorgi.
The 43-year-old, ranked No. 697, came out on top 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (6) at the England tournament
“There were so many times where I was like, ‘This game is over,’ and then she’d fire a shot out of nowhere,” said Williams.
“She pushed me to be better than I thought I could be, and it’s been great for me.
“I haven’t played many games, and it’s great to get through.”
There were also victories for third-seeded Magda Linette, fifth-seeded Anhelina Kalinina of Ukraine and Bernarda Pera of the United States in the Wimbledon warm-up event.