Mladenovic gave Serena a challenge, but the champion seven times was ready

LONDON – As she approached Wimbledon in a determined state of mind, Serena Williams realized that she could not really know what to do with her. wait for herself. She had played with more efficiency and vigor during the first three rounds at Roland Garros, only to get injured and be forced to retire before her 16 hours meeting with Maria Sharapova. This problem of throbbing pectoral muscles has hindered her preparation for the tournament which she values ​​above all on the lawns of the All England Club.

Nevertheless, Williams got a boost that she had not hoped for when she was ranked 25th here. This courtesy of the powers present at Wimbledon allowed the 36 year old American to avoid the danger of facing one of the world's top ranked players in the first or second round. She took full advantage of the situation, removing the world No. 105 Arantxa Rus 7-5, 6-3 and eliminating the qualification Viktoriya Tomova (ranked No. 135) 6-1, 6-4 in a second round contest. [19659003] But it was only that day that Williams found himself facing a formidable opponent with the propensity to get angry under the circumstances. Serena faced world No. 62 Kristina Mladenovic in the third round, and the Frenchwoman gave the American just about everything she could in a often scintillating clash on the Central Court. In the end, Williams went 7-5, 7-6 (2), qualifying for the round of 16, showing his prowess in the process.

Still, it remains that Serena could easily have lost all of the opening – and may well have dropped the second set – had not been for his pride and insight. In the tightest turns of the two sets, when the stakes were high, while the pressure increased, Williams decidedly took his game and took things in hand. She was behind 5-3 in the opening game and was down the breaking point at 4-4 in the second, but at those consistent and seemingly hectic moments, Williams was not only confident but in full control of her mental and physical powers. [19659003] WATCH – Serve daily from Day 4 at Wimbledon:

From the beginning, Williams was subjected to a thorough examination by an opponent who is decidedly better than its current status indicates. Last October, the French style reached the best career ranking in 10th worldwide. By the end of 2017, she was # 11. But her 2018 campaign was filled with doubts and disappointments, despite winning the doubles title of the Open of Australia. On her own, Mladenovic was not able to find the magic she had a year ago.

And yet, she did not behave as someone who did not believe in herself or in her chances. Mladenovic once again seemed like a top ten competitor, and Williams recognized the magnitude of his task immediately. In the first game of the match, Serena was down 15-40 before sweeping four consecutive points to hold the shot 1-0. She missed only a first service in this brief but important time, but a certain tone had been established. It is clear that Mladenovic was not discouraged by the Central Court or by an opponent who won the singles title seven times.

The Frenchwoman served well and effectively supported her delivery. She held to 15 for 1-1 before Williams held on as easily in the third match. Mladenovic was not influenced. She hugged the baseline behind her service, kept Williams at bay and enforced as often as possible. The 25-year-old was keen to love 2-2 and then broke Serena at the price of a single point in the fifth game. Mladenovic took his early returns, dismissed them quickly, and rushed Williams into errors.

Securing the break for 3-2 with an immaculate setback winner, Mladenovic was clearly composed and strategically sharp. Serving at 40-30 in the sixth match, Mladenovic sent a 114-M.P.H. First, serve the T precisely that Serena has barely touched. He was 4-2 for the Frenchwoman. She had taken 12 of the 15 points to get there

Holding serving was tough for a woman widely revered for having the best delivery in the history of the game. Down 15-30 in the seventh game, however, she Frankly tackled the situation, taking three points in a row for a decisive take. Mladenovic, who did not weaken, answered by holding 15 against 5-3, finishing this eighth match with a 117-M.P.H. Asena was coming down the T.

Serena was therefore serving to stay in the first set, and she beautifully met that precarious moment, standing at 15, releasing a pair of aces in that match. Mladenovic served at 5-4, rising to 30-15 with an ace of his own. But, two points sealing the game, she was stopped in her tracks by Williams' temerity. Serena used a deep return to make a right forehand shot: 30-30. A deep shot from Williams drew a mistake from a compromised Mladenovic: 30-40. And then another extremely deep return of Serena caused Mladenovic to make a mistake

Just like that, Williams broke it at 30 against 5-5 with a sequence of points. ;clutch. She then committed a double foul for 15-30 in the next match, but quickly made amends with three first-tier services firing back errors from Mladenovic. The return of the chipped forehand of the Frenchwoman was more and more vulnerable, and the American chose this camp persistently.

Now the tables were turned. Mladenovic was used to staying in a set, she was twice two points off the win, and she drifted 0-40, falling behind the triple set point. She was relentless, however, serving an ace on the T, leading a flawless setback down the line for a winner, and inducing in return a return error from Williams. It was the same thing.

The state of mind of Serena was unchanged. At two, she tore off both sides until she creates an opening for a cross-court straight shot. At the starting point for the fourth time, she benefited from a double fault on the part of the Frenchwoman, who missed the T and missed wide. Set on Williams, 7-5

Momentum was entirely with the American. She stood at 15 with ace for 1-0 in the second set, and broke in the next game. Williams had collected four games in a row to lead by a set and a break. Many scholarly observers felt that Serena was inexorably on the road to victory, and Mladenovic had lost his attempt to overthrow the grand champion 23 times.

This feeling quickly disappeared.

Serving in the third game, Williams missed first four consecutive services, and was broken in love on a double fault. Mladenovic then survived a three-point game and erased a break point on his way to 2-2. Stubborn and determined, she was back in the battle. Nevertheless, Williams remained assured and resolved. She held to love for 3-2 with three unstoppable deliveries and a wide ace. Mladenovic was in a 15-30 match in the sixth match, but came out impressive. A second strong service caused an error in Serena's return. Mladenovic followed with a downside down and a well placed service on the T, holding at 30 for 3-3

Tennis on both sides of the net was first class. In the seventh match, Williams was stretched to the heck but his answer was to serve a ace at 119 M.P.H. on the T. Another excellent T served Williams at 4-3. Mladenovic fought back with a take-over for 4-4, raising chalk with his second unanswered service at 40-0

Now the two players proceeded to a ninth fascinating game who was critical in determining the results

Williams started with an ace and jumped to 40-0, but a clever Mladenovic has collected four points in a row from that moment to get a break point. If she had exploited it, Mladenovic would have been "in luck" as the British say. She would have served for the second set. But Serena was lucky when Mladenovic gave up a second straight-back service in the net. Encouraged by this moment, Williams was slender on the next point of the backcourt and moved to the point of play with a volleyball volley shot. Ace carried Serena to 5-4

The American breakout in this ninth match should have left Mladenovic terribly deflated. Serving in the tenth game, she was 40-15 and needed four points before she could reach 5-5. But what she did, is that Williams made a mistake during a setback after a very good first serve of the Frenchwoman.

And it was 5-5. Yet Williams made it clear in Match 11 that she was not in the mood for the match to be settled in a third set. She stood at 15 for 6-5 on her third ace of an excellent game, this one coming to 117 M.P.H. On the pitch, T. Mladenovic seemed ready to cause a tie breaker at 30-0 in the twelfth match, but two consecutive double faults made him 30-30. She would eventually save a match point with a right-handed winner behind Serena, and then held for 6-6.

But the break in equality was all Serena. She ran at 4-0 and won 7-2 with consecutive ace at the end. Williams was victorious 7-5, 7-6 (2).

On the fourth lap, she went, but where does Serena Williams come from here? Her next matchup is against Evgeniya Rodina, the player who stopped Madison Keys, seeded No. 10, in three tumultuous sets. In my opinion, Rodina has almost no chance of saving a Williams set. Serena would face the winner of the match Camila Giorgi-Ekaterina Makarova in the quarterfinals. It's hard to imagine Giorgi beating Williams on the grass, but Makarova would have a decent chance.

If Williams qualifies for the semifinals, his most likely opponent is No. 7 seed Karolina Pliskova, and that would be a high order. I have some lingering doubts that Williams can win seven games here and take the title this year, but those doubts are down. With so many players eliminated, with her growing confidence every day, with her play that moves regularly, Serena Williams could win this tennis tournament.

Strokes of Genius is a world-class documentary that traces the 13-year historical rivalry between tennis icons Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. He is expected to go out with Roger as a return champion, 10 years after their famous 2008 Wimbledon Championship – an epic match so close and so representative of their competitive balance that, ultimately, the real winner was the sport itself.

WATCH: NOW AVAILABLE AT THE ITUNES STORE