Serena Williams had an easy 6-0, 6-0 win in her first-round match at the Australian Open Tuesday, but she hurt her ankle in the process.
Williams rolled her ankle 19 minutes into her match with Edina Gallovits-Hall. Up 4-0 in the first set, Williams reached for a forehand after chasing down a ball from her opponent. She appeared to try sliding to stop, but she rolled over on her right ankle and fell to the ground.
Williams was down in pain and received a medical timeout to have her ankle examined. After having her ankle re-taped, Williams returned to an applause and went on to complete a double-bagel of her opponent.
According to The Associated Press, Williams said she had swelling and pain in her ankle, but she won’t let that prevent her from competing in the rest of the tournament.
“Oh, I’ll be out there,” she told reporters after the match. “I mean, unless something fatal happens to me, there’s no way I’m not going to be competing. I’m alive. My heart’s beating. I’ll be fine.”
Williams, who is seeded third in the tournament, is scheduled to play Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in the second round on Thursday. Williams is seeking her sixth Australian Open title. Tuesday was a reminder that she’s not playing on clay, so sliding comes at a risk.
