Serena Williams has announced her return to the courts next week in Eastbourne after almost a year's absence.
At 40, the American faces quite a challenge.
Holder of 23 Grand Slam titles, she will try at Wimbledon to finally equal the 24 major trophies of legend Margaret Court.
We left her on June 29, 2021, on Center Court at Wimbledon.
The legend had just put one knee on the ground.
It was in tears and bruised that Serena Williams had to give up after only 38 minutes of play against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, in the first round.
But she is back.
Next week, the player with 23 Grand Slam titles – only Margaret Court does better with 24 – will return to competition, in Eastbourne, where she will compete in the doubles with Ons Jabeur.
Without us really seeing it coming, Venus' little sister seemed so far from the courts.
wonder woman
Since her premature exit from the London Grand Slam, the American has become an advisor to the board of Sorare - the start-up that is rising in the NFTs -, has written a children's book - "The Adventures of Qai Qai" - and has been recognized "fashion icon" by the Fashion Institute of Technology.
The sandwich woman has promoted her own brand of clothing and jewelry, Gatorade drinks, the Nintendo Switch, Just Egg vegetable eggs (made from mung beans, you read that right), and of course the movie
The Williams Method
, which traces the family success story.
She also shot an ad for the Direct TV platform where, disguised as Wonder Woman, she fights bullet launchers that sow panic.
Judge instead.
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And tennis in all this?
The forty-year-old was quite discreet after August 25, when she announced that she was skipping the US Open to recover from a torn hamstring.
"See you soon," she concluded.
Time is relative, but still.
“She is unable to run today, then explained her coach Patrick Mouratoglou to Tennis Majors.
If she runs with pain, it means there is a real danger of aggravating the injury.
It also means not being able to train at 100%.
But the most important point is not that she is not ready, it is that if she plays, she is taking a risk for her future.
»
It is still the Frenchman, now with Simona Halep, who recently reported a conversation with the champion in early April: “I went to ask her what she was going to do.
It wasn't very clear to her.
I asked her if she wanted to go to Roland-Garros.
She told me she didn't know.
It was six weeks before the tournament.
“A vagueness visibly dissipated with the arrival of the season on grass.
A surface where she won seven Majors, as well as the Olympic title in 2012.
" The icing on the cake "
Ons Jabeur, with whom Williams will return to competition, did not hide his excitement: “I was over the moon when I learned that I was going to play with Serena.
It's such a privilege.
Shared by Eastbourne Tournament Director Gavin Fletcher: “This year's program is absolutely outstanding, and Serena's presence will be the icing on the cake.
»
And if the double will be much more watched than usual at Devonshire Park, everyone is already thinking of Wimbledon.
Falling to rank number 1208, the American could not claim the main draw by her ranking… but Serena remains Serena, and the organizers granted her a wild card.
The stage awaits.
Our 7-time champion @serenawilliams will return to Wimbledon as a wild card this summer for her 21st appearance pic.twitter.com/7ddMAv7mOq
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 14, 2022
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What form will she be in?
This is the big question.
Serena has been away for long periods before, returning with a bang each time.
After her victory in Melbourne on January 28, 2017, she spent 13 months without a tournament due to a knee injury and then pregnancy.
Back in March 2018, she reached the final of Wimb' in July, and that of the US Open in September.
Yes, but now, time is doing its work and the champion is approaching her 41st birthday.
“I'm sure she'll come back in great shape, I don't think she would try to come to Wimbledon in half shape.
She had to work very hard in recent weeks, said Germany's Andrea Petkovic, currently 59th in the world.
It's a great thing for the circuit and for women's sport.
I can't wait to see her around again.
I just hope I don't meet her in the first round.
Serena may not have played in a year, but she continues to inspire fear.
And unfortunately for Petkovic, fear does not avert danger.
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