Serena Williams considers changes for US Open preparation following Wimbledon disappointment
Serena Williams is already considering a major change to her preparation for the US Open after her Wimbledon comeback ended in disappointment, reports BritPanorama.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion made her return at the All England Club following nearly four years away from professional tennis, but her campaign was over almost as soon as it began. Williams, 44, lost in the first round to Australia’s Maya Joint and subsequently withdrew from the doubles with her sister Venus after suffering a knee injury during her singles defeat.
Her preparation for Wimbledon had consisted of merely two doubles matches, as the American opted against playing a singles event prior to her arrival at SW19. Coach Rennae Stubbs indicated that Williams does not intend to follow the same approach as she gears up for the US Open, which begins on August 30.
Stubbs stated that the former world No 1 would ideally prefer to compete in at least one singles tournament before returning to Flushing Meadows, health permitting. “I’ll leave it to her to discuss her medical stuff and how she’s feeling but I know that for her trying to play, certainly something before the US Open will be something she would like to do,” Stubbs told reporters at Wimbledon.
Stubbs suggested that competing on hard courts could prove more suitable for Williams as she aims to extend her comeback. The American has historically enjoyed success on this surface, having won 13 of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles on hard courts. There are two major WTA 1000 events scheduled before the US Open, in Toronto and Cincinnati, which present opportunities for her to build momentum.
“She doesn’t want to go and do what she did here, which was just play singles, at the US Open, but at the same time it’s going to depend on physically how she’s doing,” Stubbs remarked. Whether Williams can make a significant impact in New York now hinges on her recovery from the knee issue that interrupted her Wimbledon return.
Williams, one of the most decorated players in tennis history, has won the US Open six times throughout her extraordinary career. For the time being, it is clear from Stubbs’ comments that Williams is not planning to conclude her comeback following a solitary frustrating appearance at the All England Club.
As the tennis world watches, the ongoing saga of Williams’ return offers a reminder of the delicate dance between ambition and recovery, especially for those at the pinnacle of the sport.
