This game is turning into a Lord of the Rings/Ring Cycle epic

With more than 10 minutes on the clock, Kristyna Pliskova works up another break point.

Serena Williams wafts a simple rallying ball into the net and slips a break south.

Image source, Reuters

Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live

Three double faults and two aces for Serena in this game. Binary tennis!

Serena is wrestled to deuce and then to break point, but an ace, with more snap than Indiana Jones' bullwhip, pulls that one out the fire.

And again.

Kristyna Pliskova is planning to hang about a little longer to find out what Williams' stamina and endurance reserves look like.

After changing four nappies a night, I reckon she is probably pretty well rested after a week in the French capital.

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It wasn't the shock and awe tennis we know from Serena at her best. But it is good enough. And that is what matters at this stage of her comeback.

The first set is a wrap after 51 minutes.

Image source, Reuters

Like a caravan heading uphill, Serena Williams has slipped into that badly needed top gear.

Three set points, the first two on the Pliskova serve...

And, boom, Serena Williams hits the front of the tie-break with her fourth successive point.

Kristyna Pliskova and Serena Williams go toe-to-toe from the baseline, all cat and mouse, scurry and chase, and Serena comes up trumps for 3-2.

Now Pliskova to serve with the mini-break in the bag.

Swiped straight back!

Pliskova's serve is right in the American's wheelhouse and is walloped deep and hard, giving the Czech no time to react.

Kristyna Pliskova's return winner gives it's owner the mini-break on the board. 1-0.

Backed up by a wide serve and scampered winner. 2-0.

Serena stretching and scraping. 3-0.

Image source, Reuters

Here we go then. Into tie-break town where the fine margins are magnified...

Serena Williams is flummoxed by a zippy serve for 30-15 Pliskova.

But that is more like it - sledhammer forehand power as the strings strain under the power of her swipes.

Now, a set point to Williams.

Pliskova slides her third ace of the game down the T to pull it back off the table. She is not out the woods yet though,

That game sped by like the Tokyo-Kyoto express.

Serena Williams blats down two big aces - her fifth and sixth of the match - to turn the spotlight back on Kristyna Pliskova.

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Kristyna Pliskova shrugs off the pressure as if it was a silk shawl.

The Czech has only beaten a current or former world number one once - that was Jelena Jankovic back in Prague in 2017.

The Skupski brothers are currently in action over on court 15 - and they've just got the first break of the match!

They're playing Mike Bryan and Sam Querrey - Mike's usual doubles partner, his brother Bob, is missing with a hip injury.

In fact, Querrey is in danger of missing his wedding, should he and Mike reach the doubles final next week.

Serena Williams strides back to her stool, poker-faced and locked into the task in hand,

She has held serve and, with a changeover to come, has given Kristyna Pliskova a couple of minutes to stew on serving to stay in the set.

Pliskova has never been beyond the first round here,

This is playing out like Goran v Big John Isner.

Serve rules all.

Kristyna Pliskova rattles through a hold to love, her final tee-off leaving Serena Williams swatting thin air like a seasoned beer garden patron trying to see off a wasp.

Serena Williams creeps up court like a cat burgler - a cat burgler with a blunderbuss - as she cracks away a winner for 40-15.

Another jumbo-sized groundstroke to wrap the game up.

Different serve strokes, different folks.

Kristyna Pliskova is a long, lean, willowy frame, but generates plenty of power and accuracy off the service line tee.

Serena Williams is still finding her range on her groundstrokes though. A couple of wayward returns and we are three apiece.

Image source, Reuters