LONDON (AP) 鈥� Novak Djokovic calls Serena Williams’ tennis comeback 鈥渋nspirational鈥� and 鈥渆pic.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I told her,鈥� Djokovic said Saturday at .
The 44-year-old Williams is the buzz of SW19 鈥� the famous post code of Wimbledon 鈥� as she prepares to play her Tuesday when she faces No. 53 Maya Joint in the first round.
Williams had been away from the sport since her farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open but she accepted a wild-card entry to play women’s doubles with her sister Venus, who is 46. And then she accepted another to play singles.
鈥淚 see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime,鈥� Djokovic, a 24-time major champion, said of Williams, a 23-time major winner in singles. 鈥淚t tells me that she really wants this to work out the best way possible.鈥�
Djokovic added: 鈥淚 always admired her career, her journey, her story. Of course, Venus鈥�, as well.鈥�
Williams鈥� most-recent appearance at Wimbledon was in 2022 when she to Harmony Tan, who was then-ranked 115th. The American great walked away from tennis 鈥� she described it as 鈥渆volving鈥� away 鈥� after to Ajla Tomljanovic at Flushing Meadows. Her was born in 2023.
Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon singles title winner, could meet defending champion Iga Swiatek in the third round.
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is among the many players and fans looking forward to next week.
鈥淚 heard she said she鈥檚 doing that for her kids to see her play. They really get excited about that,鈥� Sabalenka said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing what she鈥檚 doing. Also it鈥檚 Serena Williams, everyone was talking about that. She鈥檚 bringing more eyes on tennis. It鈥檚 a good thing for tennis. I鈥檓 really excited to see her play.鈥�
___
AP tennis:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
