‘She Doesn’t Look Rusty’: Daria Gavrilova Cautious of Serena Williams Challenge at WTA 500

Australian tennis star Daria Gavrilova opened up on facing 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams ahead of their clash at a WTA 500 event currently that’s underway in Melbourne.

Currently at a distant 445th in the singles rankings, Gavrilova told a tennis journalist that she saw a social media post of the American practicing and she looked in fine fettle.

“I’ve seen Serena practicing on Instagram. She doesn’t look rusty at all,” the Australian said.

Gavrilova will play Serena Williams at the Yarra Valley Classic on Monday

Gavrilova, who reached a career-high ranking of 20 on August 28, 2017, seems to have hit form early this season as she strolled past Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova in her opening round match at the Yarra Valley Classic event on Sunday.

Dashing out clinical tennis, she outpaced and out-skilled the Slovakian, and eventually stormed to a 6-2, 6-0 win.

After the match, Gavrilova revealed that she missed her friend’s birthday party on Saturday to get a good night’s sleep ahead of her opening round tie.

“Last night…unfortunately, I had to miss my friend Greg’s birthday. We’re meant to go to Karaoke,” the Australian said.

The opening-round victory was Gavrilova’s first in Australia since 2019. She missed the entire 2019 season due to injury, along with the complications brought in by the pandemic. 

Serena has hit menacing form ahead of the Australian Open

Gavrilova couldn’t have asked for a tougher opponent for her second-round dig on Monday, as Serena showed no visible signs of being rusty in the way she went about business during an exhibition tie against World No.3 Naomi Osaka.

The 39-year-old American, who hasn’t added to her career Grand Slam tally in three years, will bid for a record 24th title at Melbourne Park which will put her on par with the legendary Margaret Court.

Her last Grand Slam win came at the Australian Open in 2017.

Read More: Naomi Osaka settles the debate, calls Serena Williams the Face of Women’s Tennis

The other prominent stars in action at the WTA 500 event are Venus Williams, Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic, and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan.