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Returning to Wimbledon has been like riding a bike for seven-time champion Serena Williams but she has revealed the “gruelling” anti-doping protocols almost put her off making a comeback.
The 44-year-old will make her first competitive singles appearance in almost four years on Tuesday when she faces Australia’s Maya Joint on Centre Court.
She only has two doubles matches under her belt since announcing her comeback last month, winning one at Queen’s Club and losing the other in Berlin, but has enjoyed plenty of time on the practice courts in London over the last 10 days.
And it was business as usual for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion when she stepped through the gates at the All England Club, four years on from her last appearance at the Championships.
“I can’t say I had a lot of emotions, only because I think I was in Queen’s earlier and I was in London and I was on the grass,” she told reporters on Sunday.
“So for here, it was more like, OK, I’ve been doing this for a couple of weeks. It was kind of like riding a bike.
“I didn’t feel a ton of stuff yet. Obviously when I play, I might have a lot of things come up.”
Williams has not played singles since her third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open in 2022, although she pointedly avoided using the word retirement, instead saying she was “evolving away” from tennis.
Her return has been touted since it was revealed in December she had re-entered the anti-doping programme – a prerequisite to play on the tour again.
But Williams said going back into that programme was one of the negatives of her return to the courts.
“It’s gruelling,” the US star said when asked about the anti-doping programme, which includes logging your whereabouts for an hour a day.
“That was a big reason why I didn’t want to come back, because it’s just so hard. I mean, my life is busy, I run a company, I travel the world. I have children. It’s like I could be in so many different cities so many different times.
“Obviously I don’t mind because I love and I always have been very clear about what I do. Just getting in that routine of learning the new rules, then just getting back and reporting every day.”
Despite the fervour around her return, Williams is not setting herself any targets over the next fortnight.
“I think in general my expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career,” she added.
“I feel like my feelings are just – not that I never enjoyed it before, or else I wouldn’t be here today – but I feel like I’m really going to enjoy being out there.”
Continue reading...
The 44-year-old will make her first competitive singles appearance in almost four years on Tuesday when she faces Australia’s Maya Joint on Centre Court.
She only has two doubles matches under her belt since announcing her comeback last month, winning one at Queen’s Club and losing the other in Berlin, but has enjoyed plenty of time on the practice courts in London over the last 10 days.
And it was business as usual for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion when she stepped through the gates at the All England Club, four years on from her last appearance at the Championships.
“I can’t say I had a lot of emotions, only because I think I was in Queen’s earlier and I was in London and I was on the grass,” she told reporters on Sunday.
“So for here, it was more like, OK, I’ve been doing this for a couple of weeks. It was kind of like riding a bike.
“I didn’t feel a ton of stuff yet. Obviously when I play, I might have a lot of things come up.”
Williams has not played singles since her third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open in 2022, although she pointedly avoided using the word retirement, instead saying she was “evolving away” from tennis.
Her return has been touted since it was revealed in December she had re-entered the anti-doping programme – a prerequisite to play on the tour again.
But Williams said going back into that programme was one of the negatives of her return to the courts.
“It’s gruelling,” the US star said when asked about the anti-doping programme, which includes logging your whereabouts for an hour a day.
“That was a big reason why I didn’t want to come back, because it’s just so hard. I mean, my life is busy, I run a company, I travel the world. I have children. It’s like I could be in so many different cities so many different times.
“Obviously I don’t mind because I love and I always have been very clear about what I do. Just getting in that routine of learning the new rules, then just getting back and reporting every day.”
Despite the fervour around her return, Williams is not setting herself any targets over the next fortnight.
“I think in general my expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career,” she added.
“I feel like my feelings are just – not that I never enjoyed it before, or else I wouldn’t be here today – but I feel like I’m really going to enjoy being out there.”
Continue reading...
