Stosur tips Serena to hit court in form
SAM Stosur says she expects Serena Williams to front up to defend her Australian Open crown only if the American thinks she is ready to play at her best.
Williams, who gave birth to her first child in mid-September, announced on Monday she would play French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in an exhibition match on Saturday in Abu Dhabi – her first tournament since becoming pregnant.
There is no precedent for a 36-year-old 23-time Grand Slam winner to return to tennis after having a baby. Kim Clijsters won the US Open in 2009, 18 months after giving birth to her first child, but was only 26 at the time.
Clijsters was 27 when she regained the No.1 ranking for four weeks in 2011.
“I think it’d be absolutely remarkable if she does – it would be one of the quickest comebacks ever,” Australian No.3 Stosur said before practising at the Queensland Tennis Centre.
“Given the changes and everything she would’ve gone through I wouldn’t expect her to be out here if she doesn’t feel like she’s ready to play at her best. But if anyone is going to come back after a few months, you wouldn’t bet against Serena, that’s for sure.’’
Williams’ announcement of her exhibition on Saturday dovetails with Tennis Australia’s confidence that she will play at Melbourne Park from January 15.
Her unwillingness to make public any planned appearances other than Abu Dhabi leaves observers to wonder if she wants to wait and see how her training goes.
“If she comes down here I think we’ve all got to be ready to think she’s here to win,” Stosur said
As the world No.41, Stosur will be unseeded at the Brisbane International starting on Sunday after she played five tournaments late in 2017 to test the recovery of a hand injury. It had forced her to miss Wimbledon and the US Open. The 33-year-old former US Open champion says she expects to play next summer’s circuit at least and will be looking to improve on a first-round exit at Pat Rafter Arena last summer to seeded Garbine Muguruza.
“To do well here would be an amazing feeling but I’m not going to weigh my whole year and rest of career on the next three, four weeks,” she said.
Stosur trained last week in Melbourne, after spending the bulk of her pre-season at the Gold Coast with coach Josh Eagle.