Serena Williams only needed one match at Queen’s to put herself back on the radar of both fans and tournament officials.
More specifically, she caught the eye of those in charge of handing out Wimbledon wildcards.
Williams didn’t come back just to be another name in the draw. She’s here to compete, and everyone knows that when she sets her sights on something, she usually finds a way.
Her return wasn’t about filling numbers; she came back to compete. And with Wimbledon on the horizon, it’s exactly where she’d want to make an impact.
The wildcard announcements are still pending, but Sally Bolton shared some insight into their selection process just yesterday, giving a hint at what might be coming.
Wimbledon boss suggests Serena Williams’ wildcard decision
During a press conference covered by The Independent, All England Lawn Tennis Club chief Sally Bolton was asked about the possibility of Serena receiving a wildcard spot if she expressed interest.
Bolton responded candidly, saying: “I can’t answer that question, but I guess what I can say is we can all see how much excitement Serena being back on a tennis court and particularly on a grass court has created, and so one can only imagine what that would be like at the championships.
“The wildcard committee will formally make their decisions next week and we’ll be communicating those, but she has certainly created a fantastic buzz and that’s exciting for the sport.”
The selection process is expected to be challenging, as they will need to balance between rewarding deserving British players and other international stars. There have been calls for Maja Chwalinska to receive a Wimbledon wildcard, among others.
Victoria Mboko ruled out of Wimbledon after injury at Queen’s
The same report from The Independent also detailed the seriousness of Victoria Mboko’s injury.
Serena Williams’ appearance at Queen’s came to an early end because the Canadian had to retire from her singles match after falling awkwardly and hurting her knee.
While there hasn’t been an official diagnosis yet, it has come out that the 19-year-old won’t be able to play at Wimbledon this year.
Serena Williams sent a message to Mboko, wishing her the best after it had happened, but likely could not have imagined the damage would be so severe.
After what has been a really impressive campaign, building on last year’s breakthrough, this marks a hammer blow for the teenage sensation.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
