Williams 'doesn't have anything to prove' on return

Serena Williams says she has "nothing to prove" on her return to competitive tennis after an absence of nearly four years, adding her main motivation is the prospect of her daughters seeing her play again.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion will line up alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the doubles event at Queen's, which starts on Monday.

The American said she was not putting any pressure on herself as she returns to the sport that she dominated for so many years.

"I've had enough pressure. It's really about my kids getting to see me play," Williams, 44, said.

"It's also that being an athlete is the best thing that you can be in the highest place.

"Having an opportunity to still be able to possibly do that one last time is kind of cool and exciting."

Williams gave birth to Olympia, now aged eight, in 2017 and returned to tennis a few months later. She went on to reach four major singles finals after having her eldest daughter.

Her second daughter, Adira, was born in 2023 and has never seen her mother play on the tour.

Asked how important it is for her to show she can still win, Williams replied: "I don't need to win. I've won more than most people have in their whole lives.

"That [winning] is not important to me and it's important that I keep reminding myself of that.

"I don't have anything to prove, I don't have anything to lose and everything here is just to gain."

Williams has also signed up to play doubles in Berlin next week and did not rule out a return to singles in future - but said it was not in her immediate plans.

"I feel like I probably need to train a little bit more if I want to play singles and we'll see if I get there," she added.

"If not, that's not my journey right now."

Williams has never liked the word retirement, preferring instead to say she was "evolving away" from the sport when she lost in the third round of the 2022 US Open.

But what goes through a player's mind when they are considering a comeback?

Those who have been among the very best and returned say it is simple: you never lose that insatiable, burning desire to win.

"Serena's mindset has always been to be the best. Her mindset has always been to not settle for mediocrity," former world number one Lindsay Davenport told BBC Sport.

"I think we have to assume she's coming back because she feels she's in a position where she can actually make an impact immediately in women's tennis."

Williams had been teasing her comeback for several months after starting practising more seriously at home in Florida.

In December, there was the biggest sign yet. Williams signed back up to the list of players registered in the drug testing pool.

At the time, Williams said she was "not coming back" but during an television interview in January, she did not rule out stepping back on to the match court.

Last week, after weeks of speculation and intrigue, Williams confirmed she would return at Queen's.

"You know you can do it - especially Serena because she was the greatest," three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber, who made a comeback aged 36 after having a baby, told BBC Sport.

"It's easier to see on TV how the girls are playing and saying 'OK, I can still do it'.

"But when you make a comeback you never know what to expect.

"She knows how to win, but the question mark for anyone returning is whether you're still committed to do it every day."

It would be a huge surprise if Williams, who turns 45 in September, did not receive a wildcard for Wimbledon - presuming she wants one.

There is no escaping the fact that age is likely to be a barrier should Williams make a return in singles.

Most of the leading players are around 20 years younger than Williams, including 28-year-old world number one Aryna Sabalenka and reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, who is 25.

Williams has not won a major since the 2017 Australian Open - when she was 35 and before she had two children.

In her pomp, Williams was the embodiment of athleticism as she pummelled opponents with her powerful game.

But Mboko, 19, has been hitting with Williams in practice at Queen's and believes the veteran is "ready to go".

"She has such clean ball striking. She could take years off and once she steps on the court she could probably find her rhythm and timing again," said the world number nine.

"I think that's really a god-given gift she has. She's hitting pretty big."

Last year, Williams said she had used weight loss drugs in order to lift what she called the "stigma" around using such medication and returns to tennis looking lean.

The former world number one said she struggled to lose the weight she gained during pregnancy.

"She looks in incredible shape and better shape than arguably when she left the sport," Davenport added.

"We're seeing an unprecedented time with how players are able to play better for longer and play at a level we never expected - look at Novak Djokovic.

"But we have got to be a little graceful in the time we give her until she hits her peak."