After a long layoff, Serena is on the Grand Slam grind again.
Serena Williams is back on the tennis attack and playing doubles this weekend. She joins her sister Venus and CoCo Vandeweghe at the Fed Cup, where she resumes her march on history and returns to the court for her first official match since winning the 2017 Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant with her daughter, Alexis Olympia, who hit the scene in September.
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Serena Williams and Venus Williams are competing together in Fed Cup by BNP Paribas for the first time since 2015! Will #TeamUSATennis improve to 4-0 when they’re both in the lineup? Drop some in the comments if you’ll be watching the action on the Tennis Channel Feb. 10-11!
Williams pregnancy and the complications she had to overcome while giving birth has been well documented and has only enhanced her untouchable legacy as a Black woman of strength, talent and unparalleled tennis dominance who has significantly influenced the culture of sports on a global level and provided generations of girls with inspiration and hope.
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A powerful American team, featuring the return of Serena #Williams, begin their Fed Cup title defence on Saturday when they welcome Netherlands to Asheville. Full Preview >>> https://t.co/Sd5kh1zUv5
You have to start and I’m ready, Williams said of her return. I’m really excited that I was chosen to be on the team and I’m happy to be here. But its definitely the start of a long process.
Fed Cup play is the perfect place for Serena to start. She has always dominated the event for Team USA, never losing a singles match in Fed Cup, and losing just one doubles match.
Since making her Fed Cup debut in the United States World Group semifinal tie against Italy in April 1999, Serena has put together a 13-0 career record in singles rubbers and a 3-1 record in doubles. Shes won 26 of the 28 sets shes played, with 11 straight-set wins and two comebacks from a set down.
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Serena Williams’ Fed Cup career has been nothing short of spectacular: https://t.co/mUBYK493GE
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs in the practices and I think that’s normal for everything that I’ve gone through, but it also has given me another view,” Serena said on ESPN. It’s most relaxing for me because I have nothing to prove and I’m just fighting against all odds to be out there and be competing again.”
Now its time for the 36-year-old Williams to get back to business. There are still a few records left for her to conquer before she hangs them up for full-time mommy duties. Her next conquest is tying and surpassing Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 majors.
If history is any indication, then Williams will tie and surpass Court before the year is out.
Court won the last three of her Grand Slam titles, after giving birth to her first child. Legendary women’s tennis players like Kim Clijsters and Evonne Goolagong have also won grand slam titles after giving birth. If anything, the joy of childbirth seems to strengthen the resolve of these tennis moms who continue to excel long after having a child.
Serena still has to get back into high-intensity game shape, but once she does, she has no intention to stop at tying Court’s record. In the back of her mind, you know she wants to demolish it.
