Novak Djokovic believes tennis great Serena Williams could be preparing for a return to competition, saying the prospect of her comeback has generated excitement across the sport.
“I think she’s coming back,” Djokovic said on Wednesday at the Indian Wells Masters.
“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her, but I guess the sentiment is that she’s coming back. Where and how, singles or doubles, we don’t know. And if I were in her position, I would hide it too.”
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, has not competed since a third-round defeat at the US Open in 2022.
However, the 44-year-old mother of two re-entered tennis’s anti-doping testing pool in December, making her eligible to compete again.
While she initially dismissed talk of a comeback, she left the door open in January during an interview on NBC’s Today show.
“That’s not a yes or a no,” Williams said. “I don’t know. I’m just going to see what happens.”
Djokovic said the possibility of Williams returning had created a buzz among players.
“Everybody is excited, and it’s definitely something that’s very highly anticipated,” he said.
Meanwhile, Williams’s sister Venus Williams, 45, has accepted a wildcard entry into the Indian Wells singles draw and will face France’s Diane Parry in the first round.
Djokovic suggested Serena could even target a return at Wimbledon Championships, where she has won seven singles titles.
“I pick that one as well as her comeback,” he said. “Maybe she’ll play a doubles tournament or two with Venus. That would be nice to see, from my point of view and for tennis fans.
“She’s one of the greatest athletes, really. It would be great to have her back.”
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, is seeded third at Indian Wells as he competes in his first tournament since reaching the final of the Australian Open.
The 38-year-old lost that final to Carlos Alcaraz after defeating Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.
“For me, that was a phenomenal result,” Djokovic said. “I proved to myself and to others that I can still compete at the highest level and beat these guys.
“So my logic is: why not keep going as long as I still have that fire, quality and motivation?”
Djokovic said his ambition remains unchanged.
“There are always goals. You want to win, you want another title and another Slam, hopefully,” he said. “I was close in Australia.”
Djokovic shares the record for the most Indian Wells titles, five, with Swiss great Roger Federer, though he has not reached the quarter-finals since his last triumph in 2016.
He will begin his latest campaign in the California desert on Saturday against either France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard or Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak.
AFP
