WIMBLEDON.- Once again susceptible to being controlled at any time by the anti-doping authorities, the American Serena Williamswho has just returned to the professional circuit, “hates” the rules on this matter, but admits that they are “necessary”, as he said this Sunday, one day before the start of Wimbledon.
In order to return to the WTA almost four years after his last game on the circuit -in the US Open 2022-, Serana, winner of 23 titles of the grand slamhad to return in 2025 to a list of tennis players who must communicate their location every day in order to be controlled at any time.
“It’s exhausting,” the former world number one commented on Sunday at Wimbledon, six days after the announcement of the International Agency for Tennis Integrity (ITIA) of a four-year suspension against the former world number six Marketa Vondrousovawho refused to submit to an anti-doping test in December.
Since 2022 “the rules have changed, I don’t know all of them,” said Serena, who regretted that the players can be controlled at any time of the day and not only during a specific time period.
“I guess that means I can’t go pick up my daughters?” complained Serena, who is the mother of two little girls.
“That’s unprofessional, in my opinion. I hate it. I think it’s necessary, but (…) there has to be a way to make this more reasonable,” insisted the 44-year-old American player.
“It was one of the main reasons why I didn’t want to return to the circuit,” he said.
“I have a very busy life, I run a venture capital company, I travel the world, I have daughters… I can be in many different cities,” argued Williams two days before playing in the first round of Wimbledon against the Australian Maya Joint53rd in the world.
After their defeat in the third round of the US Open 2022 against the Australian Ajla TomljanovicWilliams “would never have thought about returning to the circuit,” but ultimately decided to do so.
His return took place this month and he has played two doubles matches, one in Queen’s and another in Berlin.
“I’ll be nervous”
At Wimbledon she will return to the singles category and also plans to compete in the doubles tournament with her older sister, Venus Williams46 years old.
“You don’t always get an invitation to play singles at Wimbledon. I had to take advantage of it. Who knows if I will come back here one day? I have a tremendous opportunity to show the best I can do,” he explained.
What do you think your entry on the court will be like after so much time?
“I will be nervous, like before every game I have played in my life. That is proof of the passion, the love and how much I care about my job, whether it is a first round, a second or a final,” she said.
“I don’t think much about the past or what I achieved then. If you spend a day at my house, you can’t guess that I have been a high-level athlete. My trophies are not hidden, but they are not displayed in a room full of lights,” she added.
