Since she hadn't triumphed in so long, Serena Williams claimed she couldn't even recall the sensation.
At the women's National Bank Open on Monday, she defeated Nuria Parrizas-Diaz 6-3, 6-4 to earn her first victory since the 2021 French Open.
"I'm just pleased to have won. I had forgotten how that felt after a very long period, Williams added.
The 40-year-old Williams, who returned to action at Wimbledon just over a month ago, is playing in just her second tournament of the year. At the All England Club, the 23-time Grand Slam victor was defeated by Harmony Tan in the opening round in three sets.
Her most recent appearance was in the 2021 Wimbledon competition, where she withdrew in the middle of her opening match due to a torn hamstring she sustained after tripping on the grass.
The 12th-ranked Belinda Bencic or Tereza Martincova will be Williams' next opponent as she approaches her 41st birthday at the end of September.
In her last appearance at the hardcourt event in 2019, Williams reached the final and lost to Bianca Andreescu before having to withdraw due to injury. Williams has won this tournament three times.
Williams, though, hasn't played much lately and is aware that she needs more court time.
"I feel good, and I thought I performed well today. I believe that competing was what I needed to do, she remarked. Mentally, I'm improving. I'm not in my usual or preferred location. Whether I win or lose, every game I play benefits me.
I haven't played much during the past year or perhaps two years. That probably benefits me physically. In practice, I feel a lot better; now I simply need to transfer that to the court. I'm the type of person who literally needs one or two things before something clicks.
Williams got off to a terrific start, winning the first two games quite easily.
Parrizas-Diaz levelled the score at 2-2, but Williams, despite his troubles at times, was unable to establish enough of a steady flow to gain the upper hand. Williams discovered her rhythm, combining a firm touch with her typical power, and she consistently put Parrizas-shots Diaz's beyond her reach.
Williams' performance had the crowd cheering and some of them even bowing.
The 57th-ranked Parrizas-Diaz grabbed a 4-3 lead into the second set, but Williams quickly regained control after winning the remaining three games to win the first set. She persevered through a nine-deuce game to hold service and even the set before breaking in the following game and serving herself the win.
Williams is relishing her time and living in the now even if she claims the end of her spectacular career is almost at hand.
"The light is growing closer to me. I've been waiting to reach that light lately, she remarked, adding that the light stands for "freedom."
However, she continued, "I enjoy playing; it's wonderful." I won't be able to continue doing this forever, so sometimes you just want to try your hardest to savor the moments and give it your all.
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