Serena Williams returns to tennis after a yr out with doubles win alongside Ons Jabeur

June 22, 2022

The pair beat Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo 2-6 6-3 13-11 within the grass court docket warmup occasion, as Williams made her first look on a tennis court docket since retiring with a leg damage within the first spherical of final yr’s Wimbledon.

Following the win, the 23-time grand slam winner admitted that there have been occasions throughout her 12-month layoff that she feared she would possibly by no means return.

“Completely, for positive,” she instructed the BBC when requested if she was apprehensive her profession was over. “I might be dishonest if I stated it wasn’t, however now my physique feels nice.

“It is doubles, I am solely taking part in half of the court docket, however I have been doing a number of coaching and so it undoubtedly feels good. You already know what, I am actually taking it someday at a time,” Williams added. “I actually took my time with my hamstring damage, so I am simply not making a ton of selections after this.

READ: ‘I ought to have been at like 30 or 32’ grand slam singles titles, Serena Williams says

“It was nice on the market and so enjoyable to play with Ons, we had a number of enjoyable. Our opponents performed wonderful and we have been pleased to remain in there.”

Final week, Wimbledon organizers introduced that Williams had been given a wildcard to compete within the singles draw on the All England Membership.

Williams is chasing Margaret Courtroom’s report of 24 grand slam singles titles, along with her final grand slam win coming on the 2017 Australian Open.

The 40-year-old final reached the Wimbledon closing in 2019, the place she misplaced to Simona Halep, and instructed CNN’s Christiane Amanpour again in March that she “ought to have been at like 30 or 32” grand slam singles titles.

“I ought to have had it (the report), actually, I’ve had many alternatives to have it. However I am not giving up.”