Serena has high expectations heading into Indian Wells

Serena Williams said Monday that she "can hardly wait for the future" as she warmed up for her arrival to the WTA Tour at the Tie Break Tens show at Madison Square Garden. 

The 23-time Grand Slam champion is contending at the tip top Indian Wells hardcourt competition this week, her first visit activity since her 2017 Australian Open triumph. 

Williams was pregnant when she lifted the trophy in Melbourne a year ago, and missed whatever is left of 2017 anticipating the introduction of her little girl in September. 

Monday's occasion, which included eight players going head to head in 10-point "super tie breaks" as they competed for a $250,000 champ's prize, was an opportunity to hone her aptitudes. 

Williams bowed out in the second round, picking up a 9-7 lead over China's Zhang Shuai however in the end falling 13-11. 

"It was great," she said of the experience. "I wish I would have made a couple of more shots." 

Williams opened the laid-back occasion with a 10-5 triumph over Marion Bartoli, the 2013 Wimbledon champion who reported in December she was intending to come back to the court over four years subsequent to resigning in the wake of her lone Grand Slam triumph. 

In the wake of adjusting the convention for the "stone paper-scissors" amusement used to figure out who served initially, Williams fell behind 4-2, yet a twofold blame from Bartoli took after by two experts from Serena saw the American awesome ahead 5-4. 

Two or three forehand victors and an administration champ saw Williams take a 8-4 lead, and she at last completed it off with another triumphant serve. 

"It feels extraordinary, it can rest easy," said Williams, who came back to rivalry with a Fed Cup duplicates misfortune close by her sister Venus a month ago. 

The introduction of Williams' little girl, Alexis Olympia, was trailed by entanglements that scuppered the player's intends to safeguard her title in Melbourne. 

In any case, Williams says she's intending to be back taking care of business - clearly more than OK with mentor Patrick Mouratoglou's remarks to wtatennis.com that her objective for this season "will be to win Grand Slams." 

"I figure everybody ought to have elevated standards," said Williams, will's identity unseeded at Indian Wells and open her battle against 53rd-positioned Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan. 

"That is the message that I'm sending." 

Bartoli, who was compelled to haul out of a show occasion at Wimbledon a year ago on account of a riddle infection and sensational weight reduction, has said she was focusing on an arrival to the WTA Tour at the Miami Open not long from now. 

Nonetheless, the 33-year-old disclosed to AFP her timetable would rely upon how her body holds up to preparing. 

"I don't know whether my shoulder and my knees will hold, there are such a large number of question marks," she said. 

"What is sure is that I won't come back to the court until the point when I see myself as 100 percent. I ceased the opposition for a long time - and I'll be back when I'm 100 percent."