Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Serena Williams says she’s still not sure she’s made the right decision to launch her sensational Wimbledon comeback – but she’s made it clear she’s been studying the challenge her young Australian opponent Maya Joint presents.
The 44-year-old seven-times champion, admitting she never imagined she’d be back playing at the All England Club after nearly four years away from singles action, conceded she’s going to be nervous on Tuesday and had to give herself a pep talk just to persuade herself to take up the offer of the wild card.
“I thought I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again? This could be it,” admitted the 23-time grand slam champ, who reckoned that playing at Wimbledon felt just like “riding a bike” again.
US-born Queenslander Joint, the brilliant 20-year-old whose star has waned a little during an injury-hit season in which she’s lost 13 of her last 14 matches stretching back to January, is the player in her sights.
Asked about Joint, Williams, who said she’s been keeping in touch with tennis in the years since she last played — against another Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open — responded: “Yeah, actually I know her.
“I’ve watched some of her videos. I’m sure she knows my game…”
That was all Williams had to say on her opening match, which was confirmed as a Centre Court blockbuster on Tuesday’s second day (Wednesday AEST).
But with so many pundits suggesting she wouldn’t be here if she didn’t think she could win an eighth title, it was intriguing to hear Wiliiams’ own protestations about her lack of expectations.
“I had until Monday to decide about taking the wild card. I just wasn’t sure up until Sunday; honestly, I’m still not even sure, but we’ll see,” she said, admitting she’d had to give herself a pep talk to realise the opportunity she’d been offered.
“I was like, ‘What’s wrong with me, Serena? What are you thinking? Are you nuts? Like you really should do this’.
“People live to be an athlete. I have this great opportunity to showcase what I do — what I do best, I suppose. Ultimately, I was like, ‘that is pretty cool, so I should do it’.
“In general, my expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career. I feel like my feelings are just – not that I never enjoyed it before, or else I wouldn’t be here today – but ‘I’m really going to enjoy being out there’.”
After her couple of weeks preparation at Queen’s Club had got her back into the swing, Williams said being back at Wimbledon was “kind of like riding a bike.
“I expect to be nervous. I was also nervous every single match I ever played in my life. I think that showed the passion and the love and the care, that I cared about my job, whether it was the first round or the second round or the finals.
“I’ve always had some nerves. But then I just dust ’em off, then I move on.”
Before Joint enjoys her big moment on the second day of the Championships, four of the 13-strong Australian contingent will open their charge on Monday, with Aleksandar Vukic, Adam Walton and Rinky Hijikata leading the way in the men’s singles and Daria Kasatkina launching the women’s bid.
WHO THE AUSTRALIANS WILL FACE IN THE FIRST ROUND ON WIMBLEDON’S OPENING MONDAY
(number denotes seeding) (WC – wildcard)
Men’s Singles
Aleksandar Vukic v Jenson Brooksby (USA)
Rinky Hijikata v Jesper de Jong (NED)
Adam Walton v Dino Prizmic (CRO)
Women’s singles:
Daria Kasatkina v (WC) Mimi Xu (GBR)
