Serena Williams made her return to the tennis circuit this weekend, losing to French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi.
Ostapenko beat her 6-2, 3-6 and then 10-5 in a super tiebreaker, according to ESPN. But the new mother seemed thrilled with her performance despite the loss.
“For me, it is all about physical, how I am feeling physically … I am just proud being out here and playing in Abu Dhabi and to be able to just compete,” she said during a post-match press conference. “I have had a tough few months and I am just excited to be able to play again.”
Williams gave birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. four months ago, and she has been working hard to return to performance shape after nearly a year away from tennis. Williams won the 2017 Australian Open last in January while she was pregnant with her daughter.
“I don’t think I am going to rate my performance,” Williams said. “I have plenty of comebacks, from injuries, from surgeries, but I’ve never had a comeback after actually giving birth to a human being. So, in my eyes, I feel it was a wonderful, wonderful match for me.”