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Serena Williams’ decision to return to professional tennis at age 44 appears deeply rooted in family motivation, as she prepares to compete at Wimbledon starting Monday. After nearly four years away from the tour, Williams has been joined every step of the way by her two daughters, eight-year-old Olympia and nearly three-year-old Adira, who have become a central part of her comeback journey.
Williams recently played two doubles warmup matches and accepted wild card entries for both singles and doubles-partnering with her older sister Venus-in the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam. Sharing a glimpse of her family life, she posted on social media about playing “duck duck goose” with her daughters shortly after receiving her singles wild card invitation.
A telling sign of her renewed commitment came last month when Williams shared a video of a training session with Adira assisting her on court, captioned humorously, “Rumor has it…I got a new trainer.”
Christopher Eubanks, a former pro and current Tennis Channel analyst who witnessed Williams at her first tournament back at Queen’s Club, emphasized that her comeback is less about adding to her historic legacy and more about setting an example for her children.
“There’s no change to her legacy from this return,” Eubanks told the Associated Press. “This is about more than records-it’s about family. For her daughters to watch her train, endure the discipline and hard work daily, that is a powerful message.”
When Williams last competed in singles at the 2022 U.S. Open, Olympia was just five years old and Adira had not yet been born. Eubanks noted that her daughters will always know her as the greatest of all time, but now they will also witness the dedication behind that title.
Interestingly, Williams’ children showed typical youthful distractions during matches-Adira wanted to visit a toy store, and Olympia was curious about dinner plans.
On the court, Eubanks, who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2023, praised Williams’ ball striking and serving, noting her serve clocked near 120 mph and her groundstrokes remained as sharp as ever. However, he pointed out that the main challenge for Serena will be her fitness and movement, particularly the demanding nature of stopping and changing direction on grass courts.
“Decelerating and stopping is the hardest part on grass,” Eubanks explained. “It takes more steps and puts more strain on the body compared to hard courts. Watching her ability to move and change direction will be key.”
He also predicted Williams might adopt a more aggressive approach by coming to the net more often, similar to how players like Novak Djokovic have evolved their games.
Eubanks, 30, shared how the Williams sisters and their father, Richard Williams, have been influential figures in his tennis journey. At a recent gathering of Black players hosted by Naomi Osaka and Taylor Townsend, the Williams family’s remarkable story was a common topic, underscoring their lasting impact on the sport.
As Serena Williams embarks on this new chapter, it is clear that family remains at the heart of her return-both as inspiration and as a living example for the next generation.