Serena Williams overcomes poor start, darkness and Ashleigh Barty

PARIS—Serena Williams had flipped the switch so many times. It was natural to expect it would happen. But to see it once again, at this stage of her life, in the late stages of a career the 36-year-old Williams says has lasted 32 years, was yet another reminder of her incredible willpower and acumen.

Over the course of a brisk 31-minute opening set, Australian Ashleigh Barty had confounded Williams with an array of looped and adroit forehands, elegantly sliced backhands and just enough mobility to coax Williams into repeated miscues.

“She gave me a hell of a lot of cheapies,” said Barty.

Taking advantage of Williams’ 12 unforced errors, Barty took the first set 6-3 and then broke Williams to start the second.

Said Williams, “I had all the right ideas, like, coming to the net and hitting all my shots. They just weren't going in.”

WATCH—Serena's interview with Tennis Channel's Jon Wertheim

Flummoxed by Barty, let us imagine another trail deep inside Williams’ mind. Variety off the ground? A clever slice backhand? Nimble footwork? I knew Justine Henin. Justine Henin was a friend of mine (well, maybe not). Mate, you’re no Justine Henin.

Williams’ depth and pace picked up dramatically. With Barty serving at 1-0, 30-all, Williams darted forward, punched one forehand volley, then another for a winner, followed by a big fist pump. On break point, Barty’s fine serve elicited a short ball to her forehand. Barty could have hit it anywhere, but chose to go crosscourt—and there was Williams, as open as a wide receiver overlooked by the defense, comfortably in position to smoothly drive it deep for a winner.

Everything had changed. Williams smartly mixed deep topspin with flat drives. When necessary, she scrambled. Added to that, of course, was Williams’ best-ever serve, consistently either instantly closing out points or opening up the court for placements.

Said Williams, “this is a Grand Slam. You know, this is my first one back. You know, I want to do the best that I can. I want to be able to, you know, just do my best and one day tell my daughter that I tried my best.”

Meanwhile, Barty shriveled; not swiftly as has often been the case for Williams’ victims, but instead, in seconds and inches. Repeatedly, the Aussie would create just the right kind of opportunity for a sneak attack. But instead, she gave Williams a chance to loft the ball deep yet again and push the reset button on the point, an approach that frequently led to netted forehands or Williams salvos. Was Barty afraid to get passed? Lacking faith in her volleys? Whatever the reason, Barty had avoided capturing time and space. And as even those who can’t tell a volley from a rally know, failing to grab territory versus Williams is fatal.

Serving for the second set at 5-3, Williams reached 40-love, saw two points vanish and then, at 40-30, fired a 105 mph ace smack down the T to level the match.

WATCH—Match point from Serena's win over Barty in Roland Garros:

Another time, another surface—a Williams runaway. But this was only her second Slam match post-pregnancy; and on clay, the surface that most requires extensive homework. Perhaps Barty might hang in and make a go of it.

But when serving at 1-all, 40-30, Barty again eschewed the chance to come to net and instead flagged a forehand long. There followed a double-fault and another missed forehand, this one into the net.

“I would love to have five or six forehands again,” said Barty. In the lead for the first time of the match, Williams showed why she’s long been a supreme front-runner.

At 3-5, 30-40, Barty fought off a match point when Williams struck a forehand long and then held.

As Williams went to serve for the match at 5-4, one wondered how she would answer the question of closing it out. One word: superbly. A 111 mph ace down the T. A forehand stop volley winner. An exemplary sequence of a wide serve and down-the-line untouchable forehand. Match point: a screaming backhand down-the-line winner.

“She's not quite at the level she was when she was at her best, but that's normal,” said Barty.

“That's expected. But her level when she's not quite on her best is still bloody good.”

“But, yeah, this is just my third tournament back and I have had a long break since my last one, so I'm probably not where I was before I left,” said Williams. “But the good news is I feel like I'm definitely going to get there.”

Doubt her at your own peril.

—Tennis Channel Plus features up to 10 courts of live action from Roland Garros beginning Sunday, May 27 at 5:00am ET.

—Catch up and watch all your favorite stars anytime on-demand with Tennis Channel Plus.