Daily Times

PARIS: When Serena Williams takes the court in Roland Garros next week, she will do so sporting a different look. She won’t have a number next to her name. The three-time French Open champion and 23-time Grand Slam winner will be playing in her first Slam since taking maternity leave following the 2017 Australian Open. She gave birth to a daughter in September. But despite her success in majors, Williams will not be seeded in the Open. “This year again, tournament officials will establish the list and ranking of the women’s seeds based on the WTA ranking,” the French Tennis Federation said in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday. “Consequently, [the seeds] will reflect this week’s world ranking.” Williams made her initial return in March at Indian Wells in Southern California. She won her first two matches but lost to sister Venus Williams in the Round of 32. Two weeks later, she fell to Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the opening round of the Miami Open. Serena Williams is currently ranked No. 453 in the world. She was ranked No. 1 when she began her time away from the tour. The lack of a seeding could leave Williams facing seeded players very early in France.

Published in Daily Times, May 23^rd 2018.