MASON, Ohio — Serena Williams pumped her fist after each important point and screamed as she smacked another emphatic shot. The defending Cincinnati champion wasn't going to ease into the tournament.
Williams put a lot of emotion into her opening match at the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday afternoon, a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Tsvetana Pironkova.
Williams won the Cincinnati tournament for the first time last year, getting one of the few titles that had eluded her. This year, she's using it as a final tuneup for the U.S. Open, where she'll try to complete a Grand Slam sweep.