If there is one person who knows how to make a comeback, it surely is Serena Williams. The 23-time grand slam winner returned to court for the Eastbourne doubles event and won a nail-biting match to advance to the next round of the tournament.
Serena paired with Ons Jabeur to defeat Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes in the first round of the tournament. The duo were one set down but came back in the second set and eventually won the tie-break. The final score read 2-6, 6-3, 13-11 in favor of Serena and Jabeur.
After the match got over, Jabeur was asked how she felt playing with a living legend like Serena. It was not surprising to hear that she was awestruck by Serena’s presence but the American tennis star made her feel comfortable on the court.
Jabeur revealed that she was nervous at the start of the match. However, Serena tried to motivate her even when she made mistakes and that helped her a lot. Furthermore, the Tunisian tennis player said, “She made me really good on the court. Even when I made mistakes, she kept encouraging me.”
Serena Williams reveals why she decided to pair with Ons Jabeur
No one saw it coming that Serena would pair with Jabeur. Jabeur herself was shocked when she was approached by the former world number 1 to play the doubles in Eastbourne. In fact, Jabeur said in the post-match interview, “I couldn’t believe it. I was having dinner [and got the call]; it was crazy.”
🤜💥🤛
So fun to play with you @serenawilliams!
Let’s get more! 🤗 pic.twitter.com/otbvHWsGg8— Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) June 21, 2022
On the other hand, Serena revealed why she picked the world number 3 for the doubles tournament. While she has been playing amazingly well lately, that was not the only reason why Serena chose her. She said, “She’s always been so sweet to me on tour. So I was like, it would be fun to play.”
Fans are thrilled to see their favorite player back in action. Many fans showered praise on Serena for managing to make a comeback after her hamstring injury. Tennis fans clearly missed the energy of Serena and are glad that the GOAT is finally back on court. One Twitter user wrote, “Have missed your tenacity and drive on the courts!!”
Ons Jabeur and Serena Williams are through to the QFs in Eastbourne after a strong comeback win over Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo 2-6, 6-3, 13-11! 💪🏼 What a match and what a day, being blessed with the 🐐’s return! 🔥👏🏼#SerenaWilliams#OnsJabeur#RothesayInternational pic.twitter.com/El60JnNJA6
— Chad (@CCSMOOTH13) June 21, 2022
Serena and Jabeur will now face Shuko Aoyama and Chan Hao-Ching in the quarterfinal. Serena showed no signs of rusting and looked like her old self throughout the match. If she manages to win some more games before Wimbledon, she would be brimming with confidence before the start of the tournament.