Serena Williams

Serena Williams returned to the tennis court Tuesday after nearly a year away from the sport. And earned a hard fought victory.

Williams looked rusty to start and her movement was lacking. It was an impressive win given that Sorribes Tormo is ranked 48 in the world in doubles and Bouzková 32. The draw for Wimbledon is Friday and nobody in the women’s game will want to see an unseeded Serena in their section of the draw. Serena, now No. 1204 in the world in singles, is unranked in doubles but has 14 career Grand Slam doubles titles. But when the match was hanging in the balance, Williams was the most composed person on the court as she and partner Ons Jabeur prevailed over Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzková, 2-6, 6-3, 13-11, at Eastbourne. Our opponents played amazing, we were just trying to stay in there after the first set.”

Serena Williams enjoyed a triumphant return to tennis after she partnered up with Ons Jabeur for a 2-6 6-3 13-11 doubles win over Marie Bouzkova and Sara ...

The 23-time grand-slam champion made her comeback appearance 12 months after she was forced to retire in the first round at Wimbledon due to a right leg injury. The 23-time grand-slam champion made her comeback appearance 12 months after she was forced to retire in the first round at Wimbledon due to a right leg injury. Serena Williams enjoyed a triumphant return to tennis after she partnered up with Ons Jabeur for a 2-6 6-3 13-11 doubles win over Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo in the Rothesay International Eastbourne.

Serena Williams made a triumphant return to tennis with a 2-6 6-3 13-11 doubles win with Ons Jabeur over Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova in the first ...

The veteran served first and her 90mph effort earned an opening point after Sorribes Tormo’s reply sailed long. The Tunisian world number three made amends to set up another match point with a deft drop shot and Sorribes Tormo miscued her volley at the net to ensure the new team started with a win. Williams set up a set point with a superb backhand winner from the baseline after a big ‘I got it call’ and levelled up proceedings with a 102mph ace. With the confidence flowing, another Williams volleyed winner clinched a big hold and the power of her forehand was too much in the next game to give her and Jabeur the initiative. “It was great. “It was so fun to play with Ons,” Williams said on-court.

SERENA WILLIAMS made a victorious return to the court with a win at Eastbourne on Tuesday.

It's doubles but it still means a lot to both of us to be in it.“ “I definitely felt good out there and I was talking with Ons in the first set and I said, ‘We're not playing badly,” Williams said. “I would be dishonest if I said it wasn't. After I couldn't play New York -- I just went, just cold turkey of not working out and it felt good.

Williams, who continues to chase a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, has not played competitive tennis since limping out of her first-round match ...

It was fun and that drop shot at the end..." Quizzed on her future, Williams insisted: "You know what I am literally taking it one day at a time. I would be dishonest if I said it wasn't and now my body feels great" I would be dishonest if I said it wasn't and now my body feels great. The 40-year-old said there were times when she feared she would ever compete again, saying: "Did I ever doubt I would return? Williams made her comeback appearance 12 months after she was forced to retire in the first round at Wimbledon due to a right leg injury; "Did I ever doubt I would return?

The 40-year-old played her first match in 12 months and achieved a memorable victory with Ons Jabeur in Eastbourne.

Quizzed on her future, Williams insisted: “You know what I am literally taking it one day at a time. “But obviously winning, getting more balls and playing a little bit more made us feel a lot better. I would be dishonest if I said it wasn’t and now my body feels great,” Williams explained. It is doubles but it still means a lot to both of us to be in it.” “I love tennis and I love playing otherwise I wouldn’t be here but I also love what I do off the court.” “Did I ever doubt I would return?

The 23-times grand slam champion returned on Tuesday in a doubles win with Ons Jabeur at the Eastbourne International.

Start your Independent Premium subscription today. By clicking ‘Register’ you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use, Cookie policy and Privacy notice. Asked if she saw herself playing into the next year, Williams said: “I don’t know, I can’t answer that.

Serena Williams refused to be drawn on whether Wimbledon will be the start of her farewell tour, after making a winning return to tennis following nearly a ...

Williams won the last of her 23 Grand Slam titles at the 2017 Australian Open and remains one shy of equalling Margaret Court’s record for the most Major singles titles. Burrage then stunned world No4 and top seed Paula Badosa for the best result of her fledging career. Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu will be seeded 10th for this year’s Wimbledon Championships — so long as she overcomes a side strain in time for Monday’s main draw. But I love tennis and I love playing, or else I wouldn’t be out here, right? “You know what, I’m taking it one day at a time. “Did I ever doubt I would return?

Williams had been out of action for almost 12 months and is currently ranked 1204 in singles but Corretja believes the tennis icon will benefit from a lack of ...

“In my opinion for the first time in so many years, she shouldn’t feel the pressure at all. But now I think it would be nice, it would be interesting to see if she changed something or not. So she is going to be super dangerous for whoever she faces in whatever round.” “But at the same time it can also bring some different spirit to her game. “I am very pleased that she is going to be at Wimbledon. She is going to be very dangerous for the opponents. Williams had been out of action for almost 12 months and is currently ranked 1204 in singles but Corretja believes the tennis icon will benefit from a lack of pressure when she returns to her first Grand Slam this year at Wimbledon next week.

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Playing tennis or pretty much doing anything every day is not easy when you have sinuses. The veteran was seen wearing large black plasters or medical tape on her face. Why is Serena Williams wearing plasters on her face?