Serena Williams will make her first tournament participation in nearly a year when she teams up with world No. 4 Ons Jabeur in the Eastbourne International doubles event.
The 40-year-old has not competed since last year's Wimbledon Championships. She retired from her opening-round match in London after taking a nasty fall, and her absence has continued ever since.
Williams' age meant some feared she may never return to tennis. After all, most players in the men's and women's game have retired by the age of 40, meaning recovering from an injury at that age is even more difficult.
Yet, not for the first time, the American has proved her doubters wrong. Williams recently announced in an Instagram post that she will be playing at Wimbledon this year, much to the delight of her fans.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion also implied in the post that she would play at the Eastbourne International in preparation for Wimbledon. It was unclear if this would be in singles, but the scale of her involvement at the event has now been confirmed.
Williams will play doubles alongside Ons Jabeur. The Tunisian star is one of the most watchable players in the women's game, and her variety makes her an especially good fit for grass. Her partnership with Williams will undoubtedly be terrific viewing.
The legendary American announced her participation in Eastbourne. She expressed her excitement about playing at the event and on grass again and said Eastbourne is unique.
“I am excited to return to the Rothesay International tournament in England and to be back on the grass - a surface that has been so good to me throughout my career. Eastbourne has a unique charm that you don’t see anywhere else on Tour and I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans again.”
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