Virus shutdown a body boost for Serena

Serena Williams believes the enforced Covid-19 break has given her a new fitness edge as as ready as ever to return to the courts once WTA events resume.

“I really look forward to getting back on the court,” the 23-time slam champion said in a chat with sister Venus on an an Instagram live workout yesterday.

“It’s what I do best. I absolutely love playing.”

Williams said she saw the break as the chance to re-calibrate her body.

“I felt like my body needed it, even though I didn’t want it,” she said.

“And now I’m feeling better than ever. I’m feeling more relaxed, more fit. Now I can go out and play real tennis.”

Sister Venus began posting workouts on Instagram two months ago and this week invited Serena to a stretching session.

Serena admitted the 30-minute exercises served as a warm-up for her, even though they were “a little intense”.

“Do not injure yourself doing this,” she said during one lunge.

She then made another point: “If you have bad knees, like me, use a pad.”

Meanwhile, tennis great Martina Navratilova believes Williams and even Roger Federer face a threat to their place in history due to the virus.

Federer is currently leading the men’s all-time list on 20 singles titles while Williams remains one major win away from matching Margaret Court’s women’s record on 24.

Navratilova, who won 59 grand slam titles in total, believes it could stop them from making history.

“For players like Roger Federer and Serena Williams, it’s time lost,” Navratilova said in an interview with Laureus.com.

“Particularly Serena, Wimbledon being her best chance to break Margaret Court’s record. She’s stuck on 23 and tries to get to 24, maybe 25.

“It’s an opportunity lost when you’re not getting any younger. If I was sitting in that position I’d be going nuts that I can’t play.

“Everybody’s in the same boat, but for the old players like Roger and even Rafa (Rafael Nadal) and particularly Serena, it’s more difficult, no doubt about that.”