section_path: Professional career/2019: Return to the top 10
section_name: 2019: Return to the top 10
paragraph_text: 2019: Return to the top 10
  
  Williams started her 2019 season at the Australian Open, her first appearance at the tournament since winning it in 2017. Seeded 16th, she defeated Tatjana Maria, Eugenie Bouchard, and Dayana Yastremska in the first three rounds, then bested top seed and world No.1 Halep in the fourth. In the quarterfinals, she met Karolína Plíšková, who won the match after Williams twisted her ankle. This was Williams's earliest defeat at the Australian Open since her fourth-round loss in 2014. Despite the loss, her ranking climbed to No.11. Williams prevailed over Azarenka in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters, but a viral illness caused her to retire. She then experienced a recurrence of a long-term knee injury, which caused her to pull out of upcoming Miami and Rome events. She could not train properly until after the French Open, where she lost in the third round. Williams then reached the final at Wimbledon, making 2019 the 13th consecutive year in which she played in a Grand Slam final. She became the oldest Grand Slam finalist in the Open Era. Williams lost the final to Halep in two straight sets.
  
  At the Canadian Open, Williams defeated Osaka in the quarterfinals and Marie Bouzkova in the semifinals, then faced Bianca Andreescu in the final. However, Williams was forced to withdraw early in the match after experiencing back spasms. Her back problems continued at the Cincinnati Open, where she withdrew before her first-round match. Williams was seeded eighth at the US Open, where she bested Sharapova in the first round. In the quarterfinals she defeated Wang Qiang, and in the semifinals she triumphed over Svitolina. Williams then proceeded to the final against Andreescu, who won the title in straight sets. Williams finished the year ranked No.10.
  
  Williams started her 2019 season at the Australian Open, her first appearance at the tournament since winning it in 2017. Seeded 16th, she defeated Tatjana Maria, Eugenie Bouchard, and Dayana Yastremska in the first three rounds, then bested top seed and world No.1 Halep in the fourth. In the quarterfinals, she met Karolína Plíšková, who won the match after Williams twisted her ankle. This was Williams's earliest defeat at the Australian Open since her fourth-round loss in 2014. Despite the loss, her ranking climbed to No.11. Williams prevailed over Azarenka in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters, but a viral illness caused her to retire. She then experienced a recurrence of a long-term knee injury, which caused her to pull out of upcoming Miami and Rome events. She could not train properly until after the French Open, where she lost in the third round. Williams then reached the final at Wimbledon, making 2019 the 13th consecutive year in which she played in a Grand Slam final. She became the oldest Grand Slam finalist in the Open Era. Williams lost the final to Halep in two straight sets.
  
  At the Canadian Open, Williams defeated Osaka in the quarterfinals and Marie Bouzkova in the semifinals, then faced Bianca Andreescu in the final. However, Williams was forced to withdraw early in the match after experiencing back spasms. Her back problems continued at the Cincinnati Open, where she withdrew before her first-round match. Williams was seeded eighth at the US Open, where she bested Sharapova in the first round. In the quarterfinals she defeated Wang Qiang, and in the semifinals she triumphed over Svitolina. Williams then proceeded to the final against Andreescu, who won the title in straight sets. Williams finished the year ranked No.10.