Serena Williams return and Venus Williams ‘retirement’ predicted by former coach
Serena Williams has been predicted to make a comeback for her older sister Venus’ retirement by former coach Rick Macci.
Serena and Venus were coached by Macci as children, between 1990 and 1995, before their father Richard Williams took over as their coach entirely.
Macci has also coached other former No.1’s including Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati and Maria Sharapova.
The 68-year-old recently spoke about his two former students’ future in tennis, “I think it’s difficult for Venus Williams. When I had Venus and Serena, it was more about Venus. Because she was older as you saw in the King Richard movie. Venus was really, really like my daughter and we had an amazing bond.”
He continued, “In my opinion and, I don’t have any insight, I think she’ll retire at the US Open. I think that she’ll play doubles with Serena. And I think they’re going to exit the stage left at the US Open.”
“But obviously if she still plays. It’s good for the name. It’s good for the brand. She has a platform. I get all that stuff, but I think she could still play doubles with Serena and, believe it or not, I think they could still win tournaments.”
Serena Williams has not played since last years US Open, where she announced she would be ‘evolving away from tennis’, but there have been hints of a return by the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
The 41-year-old said that she was ‘not retired’ at a conference for her business at the end of last year, as well as suggesting she was ‘bored’ of being away from the WTA tour.
Venus Williams has continued playing tennis into 2023 and has won a match this year, against Katie Volynets in Auckland, before picking up a hamstring injury that prevented her from competing at the Australian Open.
However, the seven-time singles major winner revealed on her business Instagram that the ‘plan’ is to return for the clay court season.
Serena Williams and Venus Williams Grand Slam doubles titles
Serena and Venus did in-fact play doubles together at last year’s US Open, losing in the first round to the Czech pairing of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova, but their former coach believes that they could go all the way if they played in 2023.
Here is a lookback on their 14 Grand Slam doubles final victories:
Australian Open
2001 – Beat Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu (7), 6-2 4-6 6-4
2003 – Beat Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez (2), 4-6 6-4 6-3
2009 – Beat Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama (9), 6-3 6-3
2010 – Beat Cara Black and Liezel Huber (1), 6-4 6-3
Roland Garros
1999 – Beat Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova (2), 6-3 6(2)-7 8-6
2010 – Beat Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik (12), 6-2 6-3
Wimbledon
2000 – Beat Julie Halard-Decugis and Ai Sugiyama (4), 6-3 6-2
2002 – Beat Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez (2), 6-2 7-5
2008 – Beat Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur (16), 6-2 6-2
2009 – Beat Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs (3), 7-6(4) 6-4
2012 – Beat Lucie Hradecka and Andrea Hlavackova (6), 7-5 6-4
2016 – Beat Timea Babos and Yaroslava Shvedova (5), 6-3 6-4
US Open
1999 – Beat Chanda Rubin and Sandrine Testud, 4-6 6-1 6-4
2009 – Beat Cara Black and Liezel Huber (1), 6-2 6-2
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