Serena Williams steps back into her comfort zone as the world No 1 begins her campaign to defend her title at the Miami Masters tennis tournament on Thursday.
The 32-year-old last played while suffering back pains in a semi-final loss a month ago in Dubai, going down to Alize Cornet of France.
After bypassing the Indian Wells tournament again because of a family feud with organizers which has lasted for 13 years, the 17-time Grand Slam winner said that she cannot wait to get back on court.
“This is home, I don’t have to travel and I train her a lot at the courts,” Williams said. “I’m used to the conditions, the wind and the heat. I’ve been waiting for this for quite awhile.”
The American said her back is not currently a problem, adding that a treatment regime seems to have done its job.
“I have to do a lot to make sure it stays loose, but it’s not a worry now.”
The top seed – ahead of China’s Li Na and Indian Wells finalist Agnieszka Radwanska – opens play against the winner between former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan.
Williams will be glad to get back to the heat of WTA competition although she also cannot help but feel a few nerves.
“I feel disappointed when I cannot play my best in a match, like I’ve let the fans down. There is always tremendous pressure and I actually feel it more in the early rounds than maybe the later ones.
“But I’m super-psyched right now, I’m ready to play. It can get so boring just training, even if I know it’s all part of the big picture. I’m still so eager to compete, I don’t see an end to my career anytime soon.”
While Williams is optimistic, Radwanska is cautious, revealing little about the state of her sore left knee. The Pole has yet to lift a title in 2014 after winning three last season.
“I’ve still got a few days until I play,” said the third seed, who gets a bye into the second round and could start as late as Friday. “I’m taking lots of treatment, that’s all I can do.”
Last year’s finalist, Maria Sharapova, has put her third-round loss at Indian Wells behind her.
She is now looking ahead to her chances of a first Miami title after losing five finals.
“This is a huge tournament with all the big players here. To win it is always a goal,” said the Russian, who lost the 2013 final to Williams and has not beaten the American since 2004. “I’ve always said to have a rivalry, I have to start winning a few matches against her.”
Unseeded women began first-round play on Tuesday while men go into action in the ATP event on Wednesday.
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
FIXTURES
December 28
Stan Wawrinka v Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Milos Raonic v Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 29 - semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Stan Wawrinka / Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Milos Raonic / Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 30
3rd/4th place play-off, 5pm
Final, 7pm
AIR
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
England's Ashes squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
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Results
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mezmar, Adam McLean (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: AF Ajwad, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Gold Silver, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
4pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m; Winner: Atrash, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez.
4.30pm: Gulf Cup Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Momtaz, Saif Al Balushi, Musabah Al Muhairi.
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Al Mushtashar, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz