SERENA WILLIAMS has teased that she may play Wimbledon – despite letting her coach jump ship to a rival player.
The American, 40, has not played professionally since tearing her hamstring just seven games into a first-round clash against Aliaksandra Sasnovich at Wimbledon 2021.
Serena Williams has split from coach Patrick Mouratoglou sparking rumours she could retire
Williams hasn’t played since retiring injured in the first round of Wimbledon in 2021
On Thursday it was announced she had given permission for loyal guru Patrick Mouratoglou to work with Simona Halep on the WTA Tour.
Yet hours later Williams posted a video on her Instagram Stories hinting that she was targeting a dramatic return to grass this summer.
Speaking backstage at a Bitcoin conference in Miami, Williams posted a brief clip with Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers quarter-back and 2011 Super Bowl champion.
The former world No1 said: “We have been talking about my comeback, he has been hyping me up, and getting me ready for Wimbledon. So, I cannot wait. Exciting.”
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Prior to this video, her career as an elite tennis player had been thrown into doubt when Mouratoglou – who first worked with Williams a decade ago – announced he was taking over the full-time coaching of Simona Halep on a short-term basis.
The Romanian beat Williams in the 2019 Wimbledon final and though she has fallen to 20th in the world rankings due to injuries, she is still considered to be one of the finest female players of her generation.
Frenchman Mouratoglou, 51, said on Twitter: “Today I am starting a new chapter in my coaching career – I am now the full-time coach of Simona Halep.
“In the last eight months, I realised how much I missed coaching. It is the passion of my life and I still feel like I have so much to give.
“Simona came to the Mouratoglou Academy before Indian Wells for a training block.
“I swung by at a few of her practices, watched her train.
“At the end of the week, she asked me if I was available to coach her. I have the highest respect for her but it was out of the question at the time.
“A few weeks later, I had a conversation with Serena, and the door opened for me, at least short-term, to work with someone else.
“I will keep you updated on what’s coming next soon.”
Williams, who has banked more than £72million in career prize money, has lost in FOUR Slam finals since giving birth to daughter Olympia in September 2017.
The former world No1 has 23 career singles Slams but remains one shy of the record held by Australian Margaret Court.
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Meanwhile, injury-plagued Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 36, has revealed he plans to retire from tennis.
The France ace will pull down the curtain on his career after the French Open in Paris, which starts on May 22.
