By Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor
Former world number 1, Serena Williams, has returned to action partnering with Tunisian Ons Jabeur in doubles at the Rothesay International Eastbourne.
The 23-time Grand-Slam champion, who retired last year after sustaining an injury in her right leg, defeated the pair of Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes in round 16 to proceed to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Although the tennis community were least expectant of the United States international, who was crowned world number 1 ten years ago, to return to action after retiring, they are speculative Williams may feature in Wimbledon.
The combo between world number 3, Ons Jabeur, and Serena Williams produced a good blend with a 6-2 3-6 11-13 victory to clash with world number 10, Shuko Aoyama and world number 5, Chan Hao-ching, in the
quarter-final at Centre Court.
In a post-match interview, Williams praised Bouzkova and Sorribes for playing a wonderful game in trying to curtail her and Jabeur.
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She also underscored the partnership with the Tunisian, adding that it was amazing fusing with the Jabeur.
“It was so fun to play with Ons. We had fun. Our opponents played amazing and we were just trying to stay in there,” Williams told BBC.
However, Williams did not give an apt response if she would continue the partnership in Wimbledon scheduled from June 27 to July 10.
“We’re taking this show on the road! No, we’re just taking it one day at a time,” the 7-time French Open champion said.
Meanwhile, world number 127, Katie Boulter, secured her best-ever career win after she came from a set down to beat former world number 1, Karolína Plíšková, 1-6 6-4 6-4.
The 25-year-old whose best in Grand Slam tournaments was reaching the quarter-finals of the 2018 French Open, saw off the Czech in Rothesay International Eastbourne to book a round 16 contest with Czech Petra
Kvitová, a former world number 2 eleven years ago.
The Trumpets reports that the 40-year-old Serena Williams forced retirement happened after she hurt her right leg mistakenly from a missed step during a first round contest against Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich, ranked 100th then, at Wimbledon in June 2021.
