“Superhero” Serena returns with a win in Paris

Dressed in a striking yet functional catsuit, Serena Williams stepped boldly back into the world tennis spotlight with a 7-6(4) 6-4 win over Kristyna Pliskova in the first round of the French Open.

Serena took an hour and 45-minutes to advance in her first Grand Slam appearance since she claimed her record-breaking 23rd major title at the 2017 Australian Open.

Admitting that it took time to adjust to the world No.70’s renowned big serve – which has undone opponents including Petra Kvitova and Julia Goerges on clay this season – Serena was buoyed by her overall performance against the dangerous lefty.

“I think the match went well. It wasn’t an easy match, because the beginning was so many aces,” said Serena, who registered 13 aces to Pliskova’s 15 and 29 overall winners to set up a second-round clash with Australia’s Ash Barty.

Roland Garros marks only her third tournament since Serena became a mother to daughter, Olympia, last September.

Catsuit anyone? For all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy—here you go. If I can do it, so can you. Love you all!! pic.twitter.com/xXb3BKDGNF

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) May 29, 2018

The current world No.451 but former world No.1 lost to sister Venus in the third round of Indian Wells and to Naomi Osaka in Miami, but later admitted her return to the tour in March may have been too early.

Several months on, Serena explained how she’s embracing her “warrior” status in the much talked-about catsuit.

“I feel like a warrior in it, like a warrior princess kind of, queen from Wakanda maybe,” laughed the American, speaking of a fictional African nation that’s home to superhero Black Panther in Marvel comics.

“I’m always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a superhero, and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero.

“I feel like a superhero when I wear it.”

DID YOU SEE? How far can Serena go at the French Open?

Beyond the jokes there was also a serious side to Serena’s fashion choice, the 36-year-old explaining that it helps prevent blood clots, which provided a major health scare after the birth of Olympia last year.

“(There) is definitely a little functionality to it. I have been wearing pants in general a lot when I play so I can keep, you know, the blood circulation going,” said Serena.

“It’s a fun suit, but it’s also functional so I can be able to play without any problems.”

Sharapova buoyed by hard-fought victory

Maria Sharapova was made to work for her first French Open victory since 2015 as she overcame Dutch qualifier Richel Hogenkamp, 6-1 4-6 6-3.

The two-time French Open champion, seeded at a Slam for the first time since her 15-month doping suspension, led by a set and 4-3 but lost six consecutive games to allow the world No.133 Hogenkamp an opening.

“I had a really good start, and I feel like I got very impatient in the second set for not many reasons,” Sharapova said after recovering to win six straight games of her own in the one hour, 54-minute victory.

As she set a second-round date with Donna Vekic, a 6-2 6-4 winner over Kateryna Bondarenko, Sharapova was also happily reminded of the fight required to win her 2012 and 2014 French Open titles.

“I really dug deep but sometimes you need to go through these types of matches where things don’t go the way you want,” she said.

“I’m so fortunate to be back in this position, I formed so many great memories here.”

Back at it ???????? #Paris pic.twitter.com/ek17QOgO6a

— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) May 23, 2018

Muguruza triumphs in battle of champions

Garbine Muguruza gained a valuable confidence boost with a straight-sets win over another former champion in Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The 2016 French Open champion and recent world No.1 has a puzzling 15-3 record in 2018, with a patchy clay-court season incorporating first-round losses in Stuttgart and Madrid and a third-round exit in Rome.

“But this is going to going to reinforce me,” said Muguruza after a gritty 7-6(0) 6-2 win over 2009 champion Kuznetsova.

“It was a very good first round, and the fact that I won, although it was a very difficult match, it was a match against an expert. The last matches I have played, the results were difficult.

“And I think that I feel very encouraged by this kind of a match.”

#SMASHTALK: Who wins the battle of former champions? 

Muguruza next faces Fiona Ferro after the French wildcard eliminated Germany’s Carina Witthoeft.

Angelique Kerber, another former world No.1, was a 6-2 6-3 winner over Mona Barthel, while seventh-seeded Caroline Garcia allowed Chinese opponent Yuan Yingying just one game in a 58-minute victory.

Other seeds to advance on day three of the French Open included Julia Goerges, Elise Mertens, Kiki Bertens, Daria Gavrilova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova,