Evert predicts we’ll see a more serene Serena
SINGAPORE — New mom Serena Williams will lack some of her trademark intensity and intimidation when she returns to tennis, US great Chris Evert said on Tuesday, warning that the 23-time Grand Slam champion might find her comeback tough.
Williams, who gave birth to a daughter in September, has said she’s planning to defend her title at the Australian Open in January.
But Evert said standards in women’s tennis have risen this year since Williams stepped off the tour, warning that the 36-year-old would be returning to a more competitive environment.
“I think that this whole year, the level has gone up because Serena hasn’t been dominant and the other players have all felt that they had a shot at it, at the No 1 ranking,” said Evert, speaking in her role as an ambassador for this month’s WTA Finals in Singapore.
“I think that because of that challenge, they have improved in the physical and the mental part of it because they’ve all had a shot at it and they’ve pushed each other.
“That’s why there have been so many different winners. So I think the level will have improved by the time Serena comes back.”
Since Williams’ last match — nine months ago, in the Australian Open final against her sister Venus — Jelena Ostapenko was a surprise winner of the French Open, Garbine Muguruza triumphed at Wimbledon and Sloane Stephens capped a brilliant return from injury to lift the US Open trophy.
Angelique Kerber, Karolina Pliskova and Muguruza, the current world No 1, have all held the top ranking this season, and Russia’s Maria Sharapova is back on the scene after returning from a 15-month drug ban.
“There’s so many things we don’t know about Serena, how it’s going to feel to her being a mother coming back, is it going to distract her, is it going to motivate her more?” Evert said.
“Or how being a mother emotionally will pull at her and will it take her away from tennis? There are so many elements here that we don’t know about Serena and her comeback.
“I think the other players have gotten better and I think they’re not going to be as intimidated when Serena comes back. We’ll just have to wait and see.”