Serena Williams: 'I didn't retire, I just didn't know how I would come back'

Serena Williams said thoughts of retirement had not been on her agenda during her year-long absence.

The American, 40, returns to singles action at Wimbledon next week for the first time since her tearful exit from the All England Club in the first round in 2021.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion is chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

"I didn't retire. I just needed to heal physically, mentally. I had no plans. I just didn't know when I would come back. I didn't know how I would come back," Williams said.

Williams, who spent a joint-record 186 weeks as world No 1, has seen her world ranking plummet to 1,204th and she needed a wildcard to play Wimbledon this year.

Her last appearance at the All England Club ended after just six games when she was forced to quit her Centre Court opener against Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Having made her debut in 1998, Williams said that she didn't want that heartbreaking exit to be her last memory of Wimbledon.

"It was a lot of motivation, to be honest. It was always something since the match ended that was always on my mind.

"Wimbledon was tough last year. I felt like I was injured for most of the year. Then I ripped my hamstring."

USA's Serena Williams and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia celebrate their victory over Marie Bouzkova of Czech Republic and Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain in the women's doubles match at Eastbourne on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Getty

In a change to tradition, and with a nod to the gravity of Williams' injury last year which was caused by her slipping and falling, organisers have allowed practice sessions on Centre Court.

The aim is to bed in the grass so that players can enjoy immediate grip on the world's most famous patch of grass.

"On the one hand it's amazing,