FORMER COACH SAYS SERENA WILLIAMS IS WORKING ON A COMEBACK
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By: Fasasi Hammad
Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, believes the 23-time Grand Slam champion is set to return to professional tennis, noting that the 44-year-old is training intensely in preparation for a comeback.
Williams, who claimed her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017 and has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open, is eligible to enter tournaments again after rejoining the tennis anti-doping testing pool last year.
While the American star has denied actively planning a return, she sparked speculation last month when she avoided directly answering questions about a potential comeback during an appearance on the media.
Speaking to French publication L’Equipe, Macci—who coached both Serena and her sister Venus in the early 1990s—expressed confidence in her return.
“She’s training with a lot of sparring partners—guys. She’s also played with Alycia Parks, a close friend of hers in South Florida. So I have no doubt about it,” he said. “I always thought she might come back occasionally to play doubles with Venus. But we’re not just talking doubles here… she’s going all out. If she didn’t believe she could compete with the best and win matches, she wouldn’t do it. It’s 100% certain she’ll dive back into competition.”
Macci, 71, added that he has no doubt about Williams’ ability to handle the physical demands of the tour but highlighted the importance of her competitive spirit.
“The question is whether that competitive drive is still there. She’s answering that herself: she’s coming back because she is a competitor at heart,” he said.
Williams previously stated in August 2022 that she was “evolving away from tennis,” and her team has not responded to requests for comment on her potential comeback.
Macci suggested that she could choose either Indian Wells or the Miami Open next month as a platform for her return. He noted that while appearing in a single exhibition or match is one challenge, consistently performing at a high level day after day is a different test altogether.
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