London — Elina Svitolina recovered from a shaky start to beat injured five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams 6-4, 6-3 in the first round on Monday.
The Ukrainian, who reached the semi-finals in 2019, lost her first service game to the veteran American but broke back immediately.
Williams, 43, slipped on the Centre Court grass and fell to the ground in agony, clutching her strapped right knee as Svitolina pulled the score back to 2-1.
She limped back to her chair and the trainer was called but she was able to continue.
Williams came out aggressively, seeking to fire off winners, but was broken again in the fifth game and Svitolina went on to take the opening set 6-4.
The American had a mountain to climb after she was broken in the first game of the second set and she squandered a break point of her own in the next game.
Former world number three Svitolina, who gave birth to a baby girl in October and is currently ranked 76th, broke again for a 4-1 lead.
The 28-year-old served for the match in the eighth game but Williams, moving remarkably freely, broke back to make the score 5-3.
However, she failed to build on her momentum as Svitolina broke again, wrapping up the set 6-3, with the match decided on a video referral.
Williams, apparently upset with the umpire, was given a standing ovation as she walked off Centre Court, turning and waving to the crowd.
The American, who made her Wimbledon debut in 1997, was playing at the All England Club for the 24th time -- the most appearances for any player in the Open era.
At the time of that first appearance, 53 of the players in the 2023 draw were not yet born. Svitolina was just two years old.
AFP