Few expected Serena Williams to return. Yet the 44-year-old has entered Wimbledon doubles with Venus Williams after two warm-up events. 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 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.'”

The 39-year-old, who played mixed doubles with Serena at the 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 won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, seven at Wimbledon alone. Serena won seven Grand Slam singles titles at SW19; Venus won six women’s doubles crowns there.

Yet Venus, a five-time Wimbledon singles champion, enters Wimbledon in a different position—she’s lost all seven singles matches this year. Yet, she enjoyed a doubles victory alongside Briton Katie Boulter at the Madrid Open in April. 

As for Serena, she recently returned for 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.

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 one of the nine former world No. 1 singles players who returned to the WTA Tour after giving birth, Serena Williams’ return earned praise from fellow tennis legend 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.”

Both sisters return to SW19 for the first time since their 2016 triumph, with the tennis world watching closely.