Serena Williams teases tennis return despite splitting from long-term coach

Serena Williams has seemingly shut down any reports she’s set to retire from tennis by teasing she’ll be back for Wimbledon this year.

The 40-year-old hasn’t played a match since Wimbledon last year but had been due to feature at the Australian Open in January before picking up a hamstring injury.

But in a recent social media video appearing alongside Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Williams suggested she’d be back for Wimbledon at the end of June.

‘I am backstage at a Bitcoin conference in Miami with Aaron Rodgers here,’ Williams said.

‘We’ve been talking about my comeback and he’s been hyping me up and getting me ready for Wimbledon. Can’t wait!’

Rodgers appeared to be caught off guard by the Wimbledon revelation, saying: ‘Wimbledon? What about the US Open?’

<p lang=«en» dir=«ltr» xml:lang=«en»>Serena, today at a Bitcoin conference with NFL players, teases a Wimbledon return. pic.twitter.com/p8U0C28NPB

Williams replied: ‘Wimbledon is before the US Open! I have to play Wimbledon first!’

It could put to bed reports the 23-time Grand Slam winner is set to retire as earlier today she parted with her long-term coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has now teamed up with Simona Halep.

Mouratoglou took to Twitter to confirm their split after 10 years together as he’s missed coaching Williams while she’s been inactive the past year.

‘In the last eight months I realised how much I’ve missed coaching,’ he said in a statement on Twitter. ‘It is the passion of my life and I still feel I have so much to give.

‘Simona came to the Mouratoglou Academy before Indian Wells for a training block. I swung by at a few of her practices, watched her train.

‘At the end of the week, she asked me if I was available to coach her. I have the highest