Serena Williams Returns With First Doubles Victory After a Year-Long Break

After a year off the court, Serena Williams has finally returned with a huge doubles win at the Eastbourne International with her Tunisian partner, Ons Jabeur.

Serena started the match with some rust as the Williams-Jabeur pair lost the first set. But in the end, they came out on top as they defeated Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo 2-6, 6-3, 13-11, on Tuesday afternoon.

Williams remained quiet as the tournament began, opting to keep a low profile despite being one of the most iconic tennis stars in the world. She would not conduct any press conferences during the lead-up to the tournament.

Serena Williams Has Not Played With Partner Ons Jabeur Until the Tournament Started

The Guardian reported that Serena Williams had never played with her Tunisian partner. They only started playing together for the first time during practice last Tuesday, with Williams showing signs of rust after her long hiatus from the game.

It seems that Williams remained rusty at the start of their first match, but the tennis legend soon shook it off and returned to familiar form as the match went on.

Williams showed flashes of her old self in the second set and has remained solid for the rest of the match. However, it was her partner who sealed their victory with a drop shot to take match point.

After the match, Jabeur admitted to feeling nervous about having a legend like Serena Williams as her partner for the tournament. The Tunisian said the American athlete kept encouraging her as she made mistakes and that Williams made her good on the court.

Future Still Seems Uncertain for Tennis Legend Serena Williams

Serena Williams has not competed since suffering a hamstring injury during Wimbledon's first round last year. The injury led many to believe that the 40-year-old athlete was done. However, her emphatic return proved many doubters otherwise.

Williams told the press that she was taking her return one day at a time and stated that after Eastbourne, she is still not going to make more decisions.

After being asked if she would fully return on tour in 2023, she admitted that she still does not know. She said she loves tennis and playing, but she also has other commitments off the court, including her own company, Serena Ventures.

As for her body's condition, Williams noted that she feels great. She said she is currently doing a lot of training, and it felt good. But while the tennis legend is coy about her future, it is already certain that she will be competing in Wimbledon this year.

According to Sports Illustrated, she will be given the Wild Card spot for one of Tennis's most prestigious tournaments. She will be one of six women given the Wild Card spot for Wimbledon, which will begin on June 27.

Serena Williams has won Wimbledon seven times, in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2016. She also won many accolades, including being a 23-time Grand Slam winner.

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Serena Williams Makes Winning Return in Eastbourne - From Tennis Channel