Angelique Kerber has revealed, in an interview with German newspaper Bild, that she does not rule out the possibility of tennis icon Serena Williams returning to the court one day.
23-time Grand Slam champion Williams announced that she was 'evolving away' from tennis ahead of the US hard-court swing this summer, setting in motion what was essentially a farewell tour for the American great - culminating in an emotional final bout in New York.
However, former World No. 1 Angelique Kerber has said that she believes a return to competitive tennis for her on-court rival is not entirely out of the question.
"Yes, Roger had an incredible career and he will remain true to tennis. I also wrote Serena. But with her, I think anything is possible," said Kerber of Williams.
When asked whether it was possible that Serena Williams might play again, Kerber replied, "Good question! Probably anything is possible. But I can understand how difficult it is to decide to stop with your passion, with what you love."
"This is not easy to replace and probably the hardest decision in an athlete's career, if you realize that you can no longer reach the top level, your body no longer participates like that and then comes the new generation. Serena played well in New York. I don't know what's going on in her, but I wouldn't be surprised if she suddenly got back on the court."
While there has been no official public statement from Williams since her tearful farewell at the US Open in September, her steadfast refusal to draw the line under her career and call it a retirement has left the door ajar for a potential return.
After a year that saw the retirement of both Williams and Federer, among a whole host of other names, one last return for the 'Queen of Queen's' may just be the tonic the tennis world needs.