A 44-year-old legend is returning to the grass courts after a 4-year absence. Serena Williams’ former coach still believes the motivation behind her efforts remains unchanged.

The former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, reacted after the comeback announcement was made by the WTA. He chose to focus on her mindset rather than the logistics of the return.

"If Serena Williams decides to come back on court, she's not coming back to be average. That's not her," Mouratoglou explained. He understands her drive after their decade-long coaching relationship from 2012 to 2022. During that span, he helped her secure 10 Grand Slam titles. He posted an Instagram reel on June 3 to address the news. 

He believes in her ambitions despite her age and time away. "It will be to win everything," Mouratoglou noted. He explained that elite competitors do not return to the sport just to make appearances. They return to compete at the highest possible standard.

There are valid timing concerns surrounding this unexpected comeback. Williams is now 44 years old and has been away from competitive tennis since the 2022 US Open. Sports analysts are questioning whether a high-level return after nearly 4 years is realistic. 

"First of all, she starts with doubles. She didn't say she would play singles," Mouratoglou stated. Doubles represent a much lower-risk starting point for her body. This format addresses the concerns about fitness and the physical demands of the tour. 

"I feel like she wants to test herself," Mouratoglou added. He followed up by saying, "Nothing is impossible for Serena. It may sound crazy, but if there's one person capable of pulling off such a feat, it's her!" He sees this comeback as a challenge she wants to explore, not just a publicity move.

Serena’s tournament choices show a calculated strategy to test her before making any big commitments.

Why A Doubles-Only Return Makes Sense Right Now

The confirmed comeback plans point to a specific strategy. She accepted a wild-card entry into the doubles draw at the HSBC Championships.

This WTA 500 event takes place at Queen's Club in London from June 8 to June 14. It serves as a traditional warm-up for Wimbledon.

She is partnering with rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko. The 19-year-old is ranked in the top 10 for singles. At this point, no singles events have been announced for Serena Williams on any official schedule. 

Williams has also added the Berlin Tennis Open to her June schedule. Berlin is another grass-court, doubles-only event on the calendar. Both tournaments suggest a gradual return rather than a singles comeback. 

Experts view doubles as the perfect testing ground under these circumstances. It requires much less court coverage and features shorter points. It gives her a chance to check her fitness and confidence without committing to singles sets.

Nobody knows how far this comeback will go or if it will end after the grass season. How far do you see this grass-court run going, and do you expect her to step into the singles draw before the season ends?

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil