“It was more me bullying her to come”: Venus Williams on Serena comeback origins ahead of Queen’s return

Venus Williams reacted to Serena Williams’ return to professional tennis at the age of 44 during an interview with TNT Sports at Roland Garros, offering a direct assessment of the circumstances surrounding the comeback ahead of Queen’s Club. Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No. 1, is set to return to competition in doubles after four years away from the WTA Tour.

The return marks Serena’s first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open, when she played her final matches before stepping away from professional tennis. Her comeback brings her back into an elite competitive environment after a prolonged absence from the tour.

Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, was asked about how the decision to return was communicated and whether there had been structured planning behind it. Her response rejected that framing entirely.

Instead, Venus focused on the informal nature of the decision, her limited visibility of Serena’s training, and uncertainty about her current competitive form.

Venus Williams rejected the idea that Serena’s return followed any structured or formal plan, describing it instead as an informal situation without a clear roadmap. “I don’t know how her form is," the 46-year-old player said.

She dismissed the suggestion that there had been a coordinated conversation leading into the comeback, saying there was no such structured process behind it. “No, it didn’t happen like that. I think it was more me bullying her to come. No, not at all. Not at all.”

Venus also highlighted that she does not regularly observe Serena training, making it difficult for her to assess preparation levels ahead of the return to competition. “I think she hits every now and then. I never see her on the court that often, so I don’t know when she’s been practicing. Honestly, I don’t know how her form is.”

Despite uncertainty around preparation, Venus Williams offered a strong assessment of Serena’s underlying ability, focusing on her natural talent and ability to produce high-quality ball striking even after long breaks.

“But what I will tell you is that, like, she could hit for, not for four months, and I’ll be hitting, and she’ll come out and grab a racket and running shoes and just hits a ton out of the ball without ever hitting. And it’s incredible.”

She described Serena’s level as something that does not rely strictly on continuous structured training, but instead on instinct and long-established technical foundations. “So the quality of her stroke is obviously there. She’s, I think, a little bit of a natural. She has a pretty good record. She knows what she’s doing. I’d agree with that. She’s very tenacious.”

Venus also expressed confidence in Serena’s competitive ability despite the lack of recent observation in match conditions. “So I’m not worried about how she’s going to play, even though I really haven’t seen her play. It’s so crazy. I love that.”

Serena Williams’ return at Queen’s Club will mark her first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open, ending a four-year absence from professional tennis. A 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No. 1, she remains one of the most decorated players in the sport’s history.

She also built a historic doubles legacy alongside her sister Venus Williams, with the pair winning 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together across their careers.

At 44 years old, she re-enters the WTA Tour in doubles competition on grass, a surface where she has previously achieved some of her most significant career successes, including multiple Wimbledon titles. The comeback therefore represents both a return to elite competition and a re-entry into a familiar high-performance environment.