Ex-coach doubts any Serena tennis return

Serena Williams appears more than a bit unlikely to follow elder sister Venus back onto court in 2023.

With the 42-year-old Venus handed a wild card into next month’s Australian Open, former Serena mentor Patrick Mouratoglou told Eurosport he doesn’t expect his ex-client to follow her sibling’s example.

Mouratoglou coached Williams, 41, from 2012, with the partnership lasting eight years; under his wing Williams won 10 Grand Slam singles titles – the last in Australia, 2017 – and appeared in a further four finals at the majors.

“Do I want to see her play? I want to see her play again,” the Frenchman said, “if she enjoys herself on the court.

“For that, she has to feel strong. If she doesn’t feel strong, she won’t enjoy herself.

“I want to see her play good tennis. If she can play good tennis, of course, I want to see her play. Everyone wants to see her play!

But he added of the player who last competed at the 2022 US Open,reaching the third round and all but announcing the end of her career.

The US Federation was so sure that the end had come that they laid on a five-star “retirement” ceremony on court..

“If she’s happy at the end of her career, that’s all that matters because nobody will remember the end of her career,” the former coach said.

“To be exceptional at something you have to be a little bit obsessive about it.

“You have to be 100 per cent focused on the activity, otherwise even for tennis geniuses, it’s complicated.”