Serena Williams, before her return to Wimbledon: "I will be nervous, but then it will disappear and I will move forward"

The queen returns to her home. Serena Williams returns to Wimbledon in her next match, the place where she was crowned seven times and where she made a significant impact on the world of tennis. Her dominant game and competitive character made her the greatest tennis player of all time, and four years later, she returns to the WTA circuit.

Her Media Day was one of the most anticipated at Wimbledon. Four years after her last participation, she still generates the same interest and drawing power. During the press conference, she revealed how she experienced the last-minute invitation from Wimbledon and the respect she commands from her rivals. 

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Serena Williams unveils the moment she decided to play at Wimbledon 2026

"I think I had until Monday to decide. I think it was on Sunday. I just wasn't sure until that moment. Honestly, I'm still not sure, but we'll see. My feelings will be different. Overall, my expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career. I feel like I'm going to enjoy being there a lot."

Serena Williams and her sister Venus have made history at Wimbledon 

"I don't dwell too much on the past of what I've done. No one would know I was a professional athlete if they spent a day with me at home. My trophies aren't hidden, but they are in a room that isn't very visible. So, I don't know. I don't think too much about what Venus and I have done here. Sometimes we have memories. I think most of the memories I have are from the recent times, mainly Olympic memories."

Serena Williams explains why Grigor Dimitrov is her best friend

"I always call Grigor my best friend, which he definitely is my best friend. It was great to see him. Obviously, we keep in touch outside of the Grand Slams. I hadn't seen him in almost a year, so we caught up. We always have a lot of good memories with him. He drives me crazy. Believe me, he's much crazier than I am."

"But yeah, he's kind-hearted and a good person. Yes, it was really tough seeing him last year. He's had a rough year dealing with that injury. You just have to keep fighting and get back up."

The wait was part of the story. pic.twitter.com/XLcbbdh9dk

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) June 5, 2026

Serena will play on the Centre Court at Wimbledon four years later

"I hope to be nervous, but then I'll just shake them off and move on. I've also been nervous in every match I've played in my life. I think that shows the passion, love, and care, that I cared about my job, whether it was the first round, the second, or the final. I've always had nerves. I definitely hope to have those same feelings."

Serena Williams reveals how she felt when Wimbledon offered her an invitation

"I thought that Wimbledon doesn't offer an invitation to someone every day. I could probably name just a handful of people. It turns out I was one of them. I thought I really should take advantage of this opportunity. Who knows if I'll ever come back here. This could be the last time."

"I said to myself, 'What's wrong with you, Serena? What are you thinking? Are you crazy? You should really do it.' People live to be athletes. I have this great opportunity to show what I do, what I do best, I suppose. Yes, I finally thought this is great, so I should do it. I never thought I'd be back here sitting in front of this. We all know how I feel about this. I never thought I'd do it again, never thought I'd return."

Serena Williams understands the respect she instills in her opponents

"With respect, it's not surprising, simply because I think anyone who has done what I have, like Novak still being here, no one would want to play him in the first round. I just think it's immense respect. It's also a natural feeling. Especially in a Grand Slam, you want to warm up, you want to play against someone. No one knows how my game might have evolved, what to expect, not much is known. Those kinds of opponents are always tough to face. I think that also has a lot to do with it."

Serena Williams and the message she sends to future generations

Honestly, sadly I can't say there's something. I wish I could. I think that message will come after all. I think there will be a message that I'll think and learn as well and be able to spread. But for now, I just believe you have to believe in yourself and pursue any dream, no matter how crazy it may seem.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Serena Williams, antes de su vuelta a Wimbledon: "Estaré con nervios, pero luego desaparecerán y seguiré adelante"