New Delhi: Serena Williams made a winning return to action at the Eastbourne International on Tuesday as she and partner Ons Jabeur came from a set down to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova 2-6, 6-3, 13-11 in the women’s doubles.
The former world number one had not played competitive tennis since limping out of last year’s first-round match at Wimbledon — where she has won seven of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles — in tears due to a leg injury.
Back on court and on the grass again, Williams stepped up preparations for Wimbledon, where the main draw starts next Monday, having been granted a wildcard to enter, alongside Tunisian Jabeur in the opening round at Eastbourne.
Serena Williams made her comeback after a year out of tennis as the American legend teamed with Ons Jabeur in the Eastbourne International doubles on Tuesday. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, was back in action for the first time since she made a tearful exit from Wimbledon last year. The 40-year-old suffered a leg injury during her Wimbledon first round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich and had not been seen on court since.
Williams and Tunisia’s Jabeur, who is third in the WTA singles rankings, faced Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo and Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.
Before Williams made the surprise announcement of her impending return last week, rumours of retirement had swirled around her for several months.
But, with Wimbledon starting on June 27, Williams finally resumed her career, playing with Jabeur at the Wimbledon warm-up event by the Sussex seaside.
Williams is one Grand Slam crown away from equalling Australian Margaret Court’s record of 24 singles titles at the majors.
The last of Williams’ 23 Grand Slam singles titles came at the Australian Open in 2017.
Since then she has lost four Grand Slam finals, including at Wimbledon in 2018 and 2019.
Williams won the seventh and most recent of her seven Wimbledon singles titles in 2016.
Serena, who became a mother in 2017, has plummeted to 1,204th in the WTA rankings due to her period out of action.
