After a year without playing, it’s by an Instagram post published at midday, Tuesday June 14, that Serena Williams hinted at her return to competition. Under a photo of his shoes on the lawn, this caption written by the American tennis star: “SW and SW19 [le code postal de Wimbledon]. It’s a date. 2022 See you there. Let’s Go #renasarmy”.
The organizers of the London tournament (June 27-July 10) confirmed a few hours later that they had granted her an invitation (wild-card) so that she could line up in the Grand Slam tournament which crowned her seven times. The last match of the former world number one, aged 40, dates back to the first round of the 2021 edition where she had to give up due to a thigh injury.
It has since fallen back to 1,208e position in the world rankings. Her last title in London dates back to 2016, but she reached the final in 2018 and 2019.
Before Wimbledon, the youngest of the Williams sisters will previously play doubles in the grass tournament at Eastbourne, associated with the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (4e world singles), according to the organizers of this preparatory tournament for the London Grand Slam. “I am very happy to come back [à Eastbourne] in England and to be back on grass, a surface that has served me so well during my career.”comments the American in a press release from the English Tennis Federation.
Serena Williams is looking for a 24e Grand Slam trophy since winning the Australian Open in 2017.