The former women's tennis world number one, Serena Williams, was in a jubilant mood after posting a three sets win in her first match after nearly a year out of the sport due to injury and illness.
Williams recovered from a slow start to reach the second round at the Eastbourne grass court event with a 1-6 6-3 6-4 defeat of Tsvetana Pironkova.
The 13-time grand slam champion, who last played when she won the Wimbledon final last July, returned to the court at the Wimbledon warm-up tournament after battling a foot injury and blood clots in her lungs.
Williams took a fall during the game and joked that the biggest threat to her defending her Wimbledon crown was her infamously long finger nails.
Williams' win was the second success for the family this week after sister Venus won at Eastbourne yesterday after not playing for almost five months due to an abdominal injury.
