Serena Williams has added fuel to the fire of her comeback in the last few days, with the revelation that she has practised with a current professional.
The American has refused to quell rumours of her return from retirement, which continue to arise.
And, whenever asked, her answer is never a definitive no.
Although it remains hugely speculative, there are a few key reasons to believe that, were Serena Williams to return to the tour, she would be instantly competitive.
Serena Williams practises with a current WTA player
The first reason is what Alycia Parks recently said after practising with the legendary 23-time Grand Slam champion earlier this week.
The 25-year-old claimed: “I actually practised with her last Monday.
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“And I messaged her yesterday. She’s definitely a good mentor to me, and she’s helped me a lot, especially in my practices.”
Parks then crucially added: “She is in great shape. So I think she would kill it on tour.”
So, with Serena holding her own against a current professional, this marks the first of two outstanding reasons her return should be heralded.
Serena Williams could follow in Venus Williams’ footsteps
The second argument for Serena’s chances of making an immediate impact is actually Venus Williams, her sister.
After all, the 45-year-old has made a rather successful return to tennis over the last few months, claiming victories over some WTA stars and pushing even bigger names all the way.
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Venus snatched a set off the 11th seed Karolina Muchova at the US Open last year, just weeks after she beat Peyton Stearns in Washington.
And, even at the Australian Open, she really should have beaten Olga Danilović after establishing a commanding lead over the Serbian.
Serena is younger and enjoyed a far more successful career than her sister Venus, who has impressed since returning to action.
If she can do it, then surely Serena would take great confidence, particularly if she’s been keeping herself fit and playing the sport with current professionals.
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