Who is Harmony Tan? Wimbledon win over Serena Williams, coach, age, ranking, grand slam record
- Tan secures stunning three-set victory over 23-time major champion to move into second round at the All England Club
- ‘When I was young, I was watching her so many times on the TV. For my first win at Wimbledon … wow,’ she says
Harmony Tan spoiled Serena Williams’ return to Wimbledon.
Tan progressed to the second round of Wimbledon on Tuesday for the first time in her career following a dramatic 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) victory over Williams in a three-hour, 10-minute match that ended with a decisive third-set tiebreaker.
It marked Williams’ first competitive singles match in a year and Tan’s first-ever Wimbledon match.
“I’m so emotional,” Tan said in a post-match interview. “[Williams is] a superstar and when I was young, watching her so many times on the TV. For my first Wimbledon … wow.”
Although Tan was “scared” to take on the 23-time grand slam winner, the French tennis player outlasted Williams for the biggest win of her career and has instantly been catapulted into the spotlight.
Here’s everything you need to know about Tan:
Where is Harmony Tan from?
Tan is a 24-year-old tennis player from France, who is ranked No 115 in the world.
Who is Harmony Tan’s coach?
Tan is coached by former French pro Nathalie Tauziat, who finished as the runner-up in the 1998 Wimbledon Championships, her best showing at a grand slam. Tauziat reached a career-high ranking of No 3 in 2000 before retiring in 2003.
Tan thanked the 54-year-old after her victory on Tuesday, noting that her coach also competed against Williams, although it was a “long time” ago.
“I would like to thank everybody today and my team and my coach Natalie Tauziat, who also played Serena,” Tan said. “Thank you Nathalie for being with me.”
Tauziat also coaches Canadian tennis player Bianca Andreescu.
What is Harmony Tan’s grand slam record?
Tan has not won a grand slam title.
Tan was eliminated in the first round of the 2022 French Open by Colombia’s Camila Osorio, and advanced to the second round of the 2022 Australian Open before she was knocked out by Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
Her victory over Williams marked the first Wimbledon match of her career. Tan admitted that she was “scared” when she learned she would be facing Williams.
“When I saw the draw, I was really scared because it’s Serena Williams,” Tan recalled. “She’s a legend.”
How did Harmony Tan beat Serena Williams?
Tan executed a game plan designed to test the legs and feel of Williams, who played her first competitive singles match in a year.
Far from a powerful hitter, Tan neutralised Williams’ power with an array of drop shots, slices and short angles.
Tan managed to draw 53 unforced errors from Williams, many of them on spinning balls close to the net that she had to hit either on the run or while trying to change direction.
After the match, Tan said she was “really surprised” with the outcome.
Who will Harmony Tan face next?
Tan will face No 32 Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain in the second round on Thursday.
