‘She Scared Me’- Harmony Tan Opens Up About Playing Against the Legendary Serena Williams

Serena Williams, the 23 times Grand Slam champion, is a role model for many up-and-coming players. She has records that might remain untouched for decades and will be written in history with golden ink. Therefore, competing with her, in itself is a great achievement. But what about someone who has managed to claim a victory against the legend?

Harmony Tan locked horns with Williams on the surface in which the former World No.1 has achieved outstanding results. She stunned every tennis fan by outclassing her. In fact, Tan herself was surprised. Here’s what she has to say about the entire match.

How it feels to defeat Serena Williams

The French tennis professional, while speaking to the press post her victory in the first round, disclosed what playing and winning against the legend felt like. She said, “At the beginning of the match, I didn’t really believe in it. I was playing a legend, and on center court at Wimbledon. But as the match went on, I believed in it more and more. I started to say to myself, ‘Maybe you can do it.’ But I didn’t really believe it. But I won, and it’s the biggest win of my career. It’s just incredible.”

Further, she added, “Before I got on the court, I saw her next to me, and it’s true that she scared me a little bit. Because I had never seen her in person.” Tan, after winning the first set by 7-5, slightly lost her grip and gave the second set 1-6 to Williams. Thereafter, she fought tooth and nail in the third set to secure her seat in the second round by 7-5, 1-6,7 (10)-6 (7).

Read more: Pay a Lot of Attention to What Goes Into My Body’-Serena Williams Promotes Her New Investment

Tan will next clash with the Spanish tennis professional Sara Tormo in the second round of the tournament. Tormo, in turn, booked a match with Tan by crushing the American Christina McHale in straight sets.

What was at stake for Williams?

Serena Williams made a comeback after a year, fighting the rumors of her retirement. Therefore, many were hoping to see her have a run till the second week of Wimbledon. However, she incurred a first-round exit, which might fuel the fire around her retirement further.

Watch this story: Should I teach her this way Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian gets into a Minecraft dilemma with daughter Olympia

Also, Williams was just two wins away from touching the milestone of 100 victories at Wimbledon. If the seven-time Wimbledon champion could have kept herself alive till the third round, she would have become the only female player to do so after the 18 times Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova.