INDIAN WELLS, Calif.—Depending on your perspective, Serena Williams’ last competitive tennis match prior to Friday night's WTA return at the BNP Paribas Open was one of two contests. There was her last tournament match, at the 2017 Australian Open, a straight-set victory over her sister Venus in which Serena claimed her 23rd Grand Slam singles title and the mythical title of Greatest of All Time. Alternatively, there was her last professional match, a dismal effort in a Fed Cup doubles dead rubber that left some to question whether this new mother and paragon of athletics should even be playing the sport she’s mastered.
No matter which match you sided with, there was something to be taken away from Williams’ 7-5, 6-3 victory over 53rd-ranked Zarina Diyas that left you encouraged about the on-court future of this undisputed champion.
For those observers who couldn’t get the doubles dud out of their heads, it didn’t take long for Williams to erase it from memory. By the 20-minute mark of this first-round match, she was finding a groove with her forehands, backhands and returns, a trip down memory lane in the desert. Williams' signature serve may have been her weakest shot of the night, a reflection of rust and Diyas’ own success on service—the 24-year-old won 60 percent of her first-serve points, just three points off Williams’ conversion rate.
Williams made precise and early contact with her groundstrokes, resulting in the kinds of hard-hit and sharply-angled shots she’s known for, and she changed direction with the ball without difficulty. It was Williams who was the better mover tonight, even when Diyas drew the American forward with a drop shot or tried to hit away from her in rallies.