EASTBOURNE, England — Playing tennis again after recovering from blood clots in her lungs and two foot operations, Serena Williams slipped and fell in the final game of her match at Eastbourne.
She got up immediately and carried on the point, although she lost it. But it was not long before the 13-time Grand Slam champion was a winner once more.
After nearly a year off the WTA Tour, Williams regrouped after a slow start to defeat Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday in the first round of a Wimbledon warm-up.
Williams was briefly worried about tweaking the right foot that was in a cast for 10 weeks.
“I felt a little something. I got a little nervous,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh.’ Then I thought this is grass. You know, you’re really moving. You’re stopping, you’re going. If I can survive this, especially with this long match, I’ll be good.”
• Kim Clijsters is in doubt for Wimbledon after aggravating an ankle injury during a 7-6 (5), 6-3 loss to Italy’s Romina Oprandi at the UNICEF Open in the Netherlands.
Pryor issues apology
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Speaking out, albeit briefly, for the first time since his college career at Ohio State ended embroiled in scandal, Terrelle Pryor appeared with agent Drew Rosenhaus and apologized to the Buckeyes, to his former teammates and to now-departed coach Jim Tressel for his role in the mess that could take down one of America’s proudest programs.
“I say sorry to all the Buckeye nation and all the Buckeye fans across the country,” Pryor said. “I never meant to hurt anybody directly or indirectly with my conduct off the field, and I am truly sorry.”
• Sophomore wide receiver Greg Timmons left the Texas Longhorns and intends to transfer to another program.
• Pittsburgh and Penn State agreed to a home-and-home series in 2016 and 2017.
• Fired Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez joined CBS Sports Network as a studio analyst.
Footnotes.
The Los Angeles Clippers exercised their fourth-year contract option on rookie of the year Blake Griffin, keeping him with the club through 2012-13.
• Sunday’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals was seen by nearly 24 million people, leading ABC to its most- watched week during the slow summer season in nearly 10 years.
• The Charlotte Bobcats hired former Portland Trail Blazers general manager Rich Cho for the same job and are promoting Rod Higgins to president of basketball operations.
• Jozy Altidore scored in the ninth minute as the United States defeated Guadeloupe 1-0 in Kansas City, Kan., to reach the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup. The U.S. will face Jamaica on Sunday.
• Ashlyn Horry, the 17-year-old daughter of former NBA star Robert Horry, died after battling a rare genetic condition.
• Virginia Commonwealth assistant coach Mike Jones was named to replace Brad Greenberg as head basketball coach at Radford.
• Three-time U.S. figure skating champion Johnny Weir said he’s sitting out the upcoming season, but still plans to compete at the 2014 Olympics. The Associated Press
