She's back, to play tricks on them.

Serena Williams returned to competition on Tuesday, in doubles, nearly a year after her retirement from Wimbledon due to injury.

Associated with the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (N.3 in the world), the American qualified for the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne tournament.

“Oh my God, it was so much fun playing with Ons, and it was great!

“said the 40-year-old player with a big smile, after winning against the Czech Marie Bouzkova and the Spaniard Sara Sorribes (2-6, 6-3, 13/11).

we're PUMPED UP!!!!!@serenawilliams |

#RothesayInternational pic.twitter.com/RZnvzo0ajK

— wta (@WTA) June 21, 2022


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Down to 1204th in the WTA, Williams announced her return on social media last week.

The doubles at Eastbourne should allow her to regain some rhythm before lining up in singles next week at Wimbledon, where she has been crowned seven times, thanks to a wild card.

“Did I doubt I could come back?

Yes of course.

I wouldn't be honest if I said I didn't think about it.

And now I feel physically very good, ”acknowledged the American after the match.

“I take things day by day.

I took my time after my hamstring injury, so I'm not going to make a lot of decisions now.

»

“I ended up finding a little bit of the flame”

“At the beginning, I spent a lot of time without training and after not being able to play in New York, I was in lack of work.

I love tennis and I love playing otherwise I wouldn't be here, but I also love what I do off the court,” she added.

After a quickly lost first set, Williams and Jabeur “tried to hold on”.

“I ended up finding the flame a little and I needed it.

But they played so well in the first set!

exclaimed the player with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, visibly relieved.

Over the course of the match, the agreement with Jabeur was refined and Serena Williams found her bearings, allowing her to drop some nice shots.

The pair missed two match points, then dismissed one of their opponents, before concluding the third in 1h24.

In the quarterfinals, on Wednesday they will face the pair made up of the Japanese Shuko Aoyama and the Taiwanese Ho-Ching Chan, 49th.

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