Serena Williams poised to make comeback at Wimbledon

Former world No 1 Serena Williams is set to make her long awaited comeback at Wimbledon – one year after her last match in any competition.

The 23-time Grand Glam singles champion, who suffered a leg injury during her first-round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the All England Club 12 months ago, has won seven Wimbledon singles titles but is currently ranked 1,208.

And the 40-year-old's name did not appear on the women's singles entry list released by the grass-court tournament earlier this month.

But Williams, who has also won the doubles title with elder sister Venus six times, looks set for a surprise return to action after posting on Instagram: “SW and SW19. It’s a date. 2022 See you there.”

Intriguingly, the 40-year-old also tagged Eastbourne – where there is a WTA event in the week before Wimbledon – in the social media post.

Whether Williams plays singles or the less physically challenging doubles, remains to be seen.

She could have entered using a protected ranking reserved for players who have been sidelined through a long-term injury but did not do so and will therefore need a wild card.

The initial batch of wild cards for singles and doubles could be announced on Tuesday.

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Tennis has been conspicuous by its absence in most of Williams’ Instagram posts over the last year, with the focus on her business ventures and life as a mother to four-year-old daughter Olympia.

Suspicions that she had effectively retired grew when her long-time coach Patrick Mouratoglou revealed in April that he had taken on a new role with Simona Halep.

Wimbledon is considered Williams’ best chance of claiming a 24th Slam singles crown to equal Margaret Court’s all-time record.

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