Before the French Open began last month, very few believed that Serena Williams would return to the court again. However, all of a sudden, the 44-year-old made a stunning comeback, played doubles in two Wimbledon warm-ups, and is now heading to SW19 for her first doubles appearance there along with her sister, Venus Williams. As hope grows across the tennis world for the duo, Jack Draper’s new coach, Andy Murray, has now revealed what continues to drive both of them to return and compete at the highest level.

“She asked if I missed playing. I was like, ‘not at all, to be honest’,” Murray said in an exclusive interview with the BBC at Queen’s Club. “She said, ‘Yes, I miss it every single day. I absolutely loved competing, love playing. If I could, I’d be back out there again’.”

Later, the 44-year-old, who played mixed doubles with Serena at 2019 SW19, admitted he was delighted to see Serena back on the court once again. “To see her back on the court, competing, playing doubles here, and then I think she’s playing with her sister at Wimbledon as well. It’s brilliant for tennis. To achieve that much success in such a challenging sport and to do it for as long as they have, and remain so in love with the game at the stage of their lives that they are at, is brilliant to see.”

Like the former ATP world No. 1, fans across the tennis world celebrated the news after Serena received a wildcard into the SW19 doubles draw. Her return to tennis, as well as grass-court Slams, quickly became one of the biggest talking points in the sport.

The Williams sisters also share an incredible history at ‌the All-England Club. Their success at SW19 has made them one of the most iconic doubles teams ever. 7 of Serena’s Grand Slam singles titles came at ‌SW19, alongside Venus, who also lifted the women’s doubles trophy 6 times at Wimbledon.

However, Venus, a 5-time Wimbledon singles champion, has endured a tough season till now. The 45-year-old has lost all 7 of her singles matches this year. Yet, Venus did enjoy a doubles victory alongside Briton Katie Boulter at the Madrid Open in April. 

As for Serena, she recently returned to the doubles action in Berlin but suffered an early defeat. Venus, meanwhile, has already begun her own grass-court campaign at Bad Homburg alongside Alexandra Eala.

And Serena’s return, alongside Venus continuing to compete, has drawn praise from Murray and many others across the tennis world. Their comeback story continues to excite fans, with more former players also celebrating Serena’s long-awaited return.

Martina Navratilova shares her honest verdict on Serena Williams’ tennis return

Now a mother of two, the 23-time Grand Slam winner continues to add new chapters to her remarkable career. Serena’s latest comeback has only strengthened her already legendary legacy.

Serena Williams is now among 9 former world No. 1 singles players who returned to the WTA Tour after giving birth. And her return has also earned praise from one of the fellow tennis legends, Martina Navratilova.

“Serena brought the game to another level, and it is incredible for the sport that she’s pushing the boundaries and coming back,” Navratilova said. “To many of the younger players, they never had the opportunity to play her; some may have never watched her on television so this will be a new and exciting experience.”

Valerie Camillo, the WTA chair, also welcomed the comeback and praised Serena’s lasting influence on the sport. “Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all-time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court. Her return is an expression of her passion for competition, and I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players.”

Now, both ‌sisters are preparing for SW19, which begins later this month. Their reunion has already become one of the biggest stories of the tournament. As Venus and Serena get ready to step onto the grass court Slam once again after their 2016 triumph, the tennis world will be watching closely.