NEARLY a year to the day since Serena Williams last played a singles match on the Tour, the tennis great returns to Wimbledon’s Centre Court where her awe-inspiring career almost came to a tearful end.
Chasing a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam singles crown, sixth seed Williams limped out of her first round match last year with an injury and the sport suddenly had a void to fill as she took a year off to “heal physically and mentally.”
Now, three months shy of her 41st birthday, Williams is ranked 1,204 in the world and the American needed a wild card to play at Wimbledon where she has won the title seven times.
She has only two doubles matches at Eastbourne under her belt going into the year’s third major where she takes on France’s Harmony Tan.
However, Williams was glad Wimbledon broke with tradition and allowed players to practice on the iconic Centre Court to avoid a repeat of them slipping on the lush green grass.
While Williams chases an elusive 24th major, world number one Iga Świątek is busy chasing records herself and will put a 35-match winning streak — the best in the 21st century — on the line on the same court when she takes on Jana Fett.
Poland’s Świątek has not lost since February, but the 21-year-old comes into Wimbledon without playing a match on grass after she skipped the tune-up tournament in Berlin due to a shoulder issue. — Reuters