Wimbledon 2022: Serena Williams ousted by Harmony Tan in first round

Serena Williams lost in the first round of Wimbledon in her first singles match in a year. She was defeated in a tiebreaker by Harmony Tan of France.

Playing her first singles match a year after injury, Serena Williams's opening-round Wimbledon loss to Harmony Tan was hardly her most unexpected defeat, but there were plenty of signs it could be the most portentous yet. Credit: AFP Photo

Tan, a Frenchwoman ranked 115th and who is little-known even in her country, defeated Williams, the greatest women’s tennis champion of her era, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7). Credit: Reuters Photo

Williams had not played a singles match on tour since retiring in the first round of last year’s Wimbledon in tears with an injury, but she got to play plenty of tennis at the Centre Court, where she had won seven Wimbledon singles titles. Credit: Reuters Photo

Serena's gruelling duel with Tan was a stylistic contrast that lasted three hours and 11 minutes. Credit: AFP Photo

She had her sister, Venus, cheering for her from the guest box at the Centre Court. Credit: AFP Photo

In her first appearance on Centre Court, 24-year-old Tan turned what could have been a feel-good story for Williams into a narrow defeat that will re-pose the question of how much more professional tennis Williams intends to play. Credit: AFP Photo

A longtime No 1, she is ranked 1,204th and will soon have no ranking at all. But she provided no definitive answer to whether this was her final Wimbledon appearance. Credit: Reuters Photo

Serena will turn 41 in September, and her quest for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title seems increasingly far-fetched. Credit: Reuters Photo

In between, there were moments where Williams played very much like someone whose strokes and will have carried her to 23 Grand Slam titles. She hit blistering serves and strokes, celebrated with arms aloft. Credit: Reuters Photo