Serena Williams is now eligible to play on the WTA Tour, and has been for a few weeks now.
And yet, it has been silent on her end.
The lack of communication has fans debating whether the legendary tennis superstar actually will be returning to the sport, after she was cleared to do so following being reinstated into the ITIA’s drug-testing pool.
Fortunately, whether she decides tomorrow or in six months’ time, it seems as though the 44-year-old is keeping fit and ready for whenever the time is right.
At least, that’s what Alycia Parks has suggested.
Alycia Parks reveals what it’s like to practice with Serena Williams
Speaking to Tennis Channel after her opening-round win in Miami, she spoke almost exclusively about Serena Williams.
After all, Parks revealed that she had been training with Serena earlier this year, thus adding fuel to the flames regarding rumours of a comeback.
If Serena Williams isn’t the greatest tennis player of all time, then who is and why?
These latest comments will only stoke further interest, as she began by explaining how their hits first came about: “Um, yeah, I did text her when I was. I think in the Middle East, and I was like, hey, like, can you practice when I come back to the States? And she was like, yeah, let’s go. So we got in a few sessions and, yeah, she’s been helping me.”
Revealing that they practice ‘probably three times a week’ when she is home was rather surprising, and when asked how the 23-time major champion is striking the ball, Parks admitted: “She’s hitting good. Um, yeah, she’s definitely fit. She looks great, and she’s hitting the ball amazing.”
Then posed the all-important question on whether she is coming back, the 25-year-old was coy as she replied: “I don’t know if she’s coming back. I don’t know when she’s coming back. Yeah, we just go to practice. We don’t really talk about too much of her coming back, just like fun stuff and we are talking. So, yeah.”
Parks concluded by explaining just how special it is to practice with someone of Serena’s stature, adding: “Definitely gives me a lot of confidence.
“I do feel like the stuff that she’s teaching me in practice is applying in my game and matches. So I’m just going to keep doing that and keep building from that.
Does Serena Williams win a WTA title or Grand Slam title if she comes back to tennis?
“I guess like, on the slow balls, it’s kind of be more patient, and then patterns, so we’ve been working on that quite a bit. So yeah.”
Annabel Croft, just yesterday, actually predicted when Venus Williams will retire and if Serena Williams will return this year, after watching the former lose early in Miami.
Serena Williams would be entering a stacked WTA Tour
Whilst Serena certainly had to compete with some iconic and legendary figures across her glittering career, should she return, she would instead have a handful of superstars to deal with.
After all, the depth in quality across the entire WTA Tour is astounding, and arguably as strong as it has been in recent memory.
Aryna Sabalenka marks an impressive front-runner as the world number one, but she is closely followed by Elena Rybakina, another supreme ball-striker and a two-time Grand Slam champion.
Below them are the likes of Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek, who are struggling at the moment, but both have proven their ability to consistently compete for elite honours.
And that is even without mentioning players like Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova and Naomi Osaka, as well as the next generation of superstars like Victoria Mboko, Mirra Andreeva and Iva Jovic.
Serena would certainly have her work cut out for her to make it back to the apex of the sport.
