Serena Williams tipped to make ‘lightning in a bottle’ Queen’s and Wimbledon comeback

Serena Williams has opened the door to a fairytale Wimbledon comeback.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion could make her return, four years on from an emotional goodbye at the US Open, amid claims she has submitted ‘multiple wildcard requests’ for the grass-court season.

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Nothing has yet been finalised, but the 44-year-old has been free to return to the sport since February, having completed six months back in the drug testing pool.

Williams could return to action at Queen’s Club next month, and there are two wildcards available for the grass court event, which begins on Monday, June 8.

Andy Roddick touts ‘lightning in a bottle’ Serena Williams return

The American is said to be considering playing doubles, with reporter Jon Wertheim telling Andy Roddick’s Served podcast that she could partner with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko in London.

Roddick, a fellow US tennis icon, then suggested that any comeback could even go beyond that, with Wimbledon starting three weeks later.

“As soon as you re-enter doping protocols, which happened six or eight months ago, you do that because you want the option of coming back,” the former US Open winner said.

“Maybe you don’t know if you’re coming back or not, but at the very least you’re thinking really hard about it.

“Very, very, very pragmatically — and I know this isn’t a pragmatic decision — I’m sure there’s emotion. I’m sure there’s the champion’s mentality, ego, and ‘what if’, and all of this stuff.

“(But) if you enter doping protocols, you’re looking to come back, or at least you’re looking at the option to come back.

“If you do that and you’re Serena Williams, I’ve got to think: Is she going to be faster than when she left? I don’t know. I mean, she looks in fantastic shape.

“And I think you could say her best chance of lightning in a bottle in this comeback is that it’s on grass at Wimbledon.”

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Roddick added that it would be ‘earth-shattering news’ if Williams was to announce her return, and that she will likely want to play singles over doubles, even with the chance to ‘mentor’ a younger player like Mboko at Queen’s.

Would Serena Williams play singles or doubles in tennis return?

“I think we’re gonna see Serena Williams play singles,” he added.

“I do think the only thing that is a little bit of a doubles-motivated thing, as her sister (Venus Williams) is also not retired yet.

“Would you do it for your sister? For one last run at the US Open or something like that?

“I don’t think she plays only doubles at Wimbledon. I think she’s going to play singles, but I think there’s a half a chance she plays singles before that.

“I just don’t see, at this point in her life where she’s in her 40s coming back… How many shots in the basket are you going to have on your best surface in singles again, if that’s your intent?

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“I don’t think she can skip Wimbledon this year in singles. I think if you’re going to come back, I think you’ve got to go.”

Williams is one of the greatest players to ever take to SW19.

She’s a seven-time singles champion at the All England Club, as well as a six-time doubles winner.

The American last played at Wimbledon in 2022, when she lost in the first-round to Harmony Tan on Centre Court.

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