“I have nothing to prove, only things to gain” Serena Williams speaks ahead of her comeback at the HSBC Championships

Williams, who played her last doubles match with sister Venus at the 2022 US Open, will be teaming up with current world No.9 Victoria Mboko to play in the doubles draw at The Queen’s Club.

Having stepped away from competing four years ago, the former world No.1 is looking forward to her comeback on the tour she spent so much of her life on.

“The biggest thing I’ve missed is the atmosphere and the travel," Williams said. "I’ve done it literally my whole life, so when you stop doing something you’ve been doing ever since you can remember, I think you take it for granted.
 
“Now there are different things that I can try to experience in a different way that I’ve never been able to do before, and to do it with my family."

The 44-year-old, who gave birth to her second child in 2023, is excited to have her family cheering her on from the sideline as both children will get to see her play in West London.

Having picked up 73 singles titles across her career, Williams says she is now more focused on the journey back to competing rather than the scoreline.

“Everyone is so supportive. Everyone was like, what are you thinking, and I’m like it’s summer, the kids are out of school so it’s the perfect time to get out there, have fun and see what happens.

"This whole journey, I’m not putting pressure on myself. I’ve had enough pressure. It’s about my kids getting to see me play. Olympia is a little bit older, Adira is very young, and it’s moments like that."

“I don’t need to win, I’ve won more than most people have in their whole lives and that’s not important to me. I keep reminding myself of that, I have nothing to prove, I don’t have anything to lose, I only have things to gain.

“An athlete is like the best thing you can be, in the highest place, and having the opportunity to still be able to do that one last time was cool and exciting.”

Her partner for this week is one of the most exciting young talents on the WTA Tour. Mboko won her first two WTA titles last year in Montreal and Hong Kong, and will also enter this week's singles draw as the third seed. 

The American-Canadian wild card pairing will face third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the opening round of the women’s doubles.

The pair have been practising together at The Queen’s Club in preparation for their match, and Williams spoke of her admiration for the 19-year-old and the big wins she’s had on tour.

“I’ve hit with Vicky twice, and today I felt a lot better off the ground. I felt better everywhere," Williams said.
 
“I saw her in Montreal last year. I was impressed with her game and her attitude. What I most liked about her was that the next time she played, she kept winning.
 
“I loved that. It reminded me a lot of myself. Sometimes you win one, and then you have a bit of a low – and that’s normal as well – but I loved how she had this drive.
 
“It was hard because it was a last-minute commitment, and so I was like, who am I going to play with now. I decided a while ago, but I didn’t commit to it until pre the eleventh hour.”

Despite the American’s excitement at getting back on court, she confessed that she's not eyeing up a return to the singles court just yet, but left the door open for a potential return.

“For singles, I can’t say yes, I can’t say no. Right now it’s a no – I feel like I probably need to train a bit more if I want to play singles and we’ll see if I get there. If not, that’s not my journey right now.”

The American star finished by giving this advice to some young players from LTA Tennis Foundation who asked the final questions. As an athlete and a person who has served as an inspiration to so many young players, they wanted to know what advice she would give her 10-year-old self.

“Something that really stood out to me is that your time will come. As long as you work hard and believe in yourself, you will have your moment.”

The HSBC Championships starts on Monday 8 June with live coverage available across the BBC and its digital services.