LONDON — Serena Williams said she was motivated to play this year’s Wimbledon to ensure her final memories of the championship were not retiring injured as she was forced to do in last year’s first round.
Williams, 40, has not played a competitive singles match since last year’s first-round match against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. There she suffered a torn hamstring after slipping on Centre Court during the first set and had to withdraw injured.
She originally hoped to return in time for the US Open but ended up having a prolonged spell away from the sport. But on June 14 she announced she’d play at this year’s Wimbledon and made her comeback to competitive tennis last week when she played doubles with Ons Jabeur in Eastbourne.
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