French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko believes Serena Williams will once again rise to the top of women’s tennis when she returns.
The former world No.1 is set to return to the Tour in March following a 14-month absence. Williams hasn’t played a WTA match since claiming her 23rd grand slam title at the 2017 Australian Open. Last year she gave birth to her first child and experienced a series of medical issues shortly after.
“Serena is an amazing player, such a great champion. There are very few players like her that can be No. 1 for, I don’t know, years.” Ostapenko said about the American.
At the start of the season, Ostapenko got a taste of the current form Williams is in. At the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi, the two locked horns in what was the first ever women’s match to take place in the history of the event. It was the 20-year-old Latvian that managed to prevail in three sets.
Reflecting on their clash during this week’s Dubai Tennis Championships, Ostapenko believes it will only be a matter of time before Williams is back at the top. The American is two major titles away from becoming the most successful singles player in grand slam history. She has already spent 319 weeks as world No.1.
“I think when she will come back. She will still be at the top. When I played an exhibition against her, I was very surprised.” Explained Ostapenko.
“She just had a baby four months ago, but she played unbelievable, such a talented player. I think she will be at the top very soon.”
Not everybody on the women’s Tour believes it will all be plain sailing for Williams’ return. Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza believes that the current state of the game is ‘very competitive.’ Last year four different players won the major tournaments and five held the No.1 position.
“Right now it’s tough. We all are in a very good, high level. It’s very competitive. It’s not easy, not even for her, to be so long outside and just come and still be Serena. I think it’s not easy.” Said Muguruza.
Williams is set to play her first event next month at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
