THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 28, 2026

Serena Williams

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to Serena Williams' press conference. Raise your hand if you'd like to ask a question. First question, please.

Q. Serena, welcome back. What was the main emotion when you walked through the gates for that first practice session? In the four years you've been away, anything new you've seen perhaps?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I can't say I had a lot of emotions only because I think I was in Queen's earlier and I was in London and I was on the grass.

I think being in Queen's in particular, because it was in London, I was, like, Oh, this is real, like I'm actually playing again.

So for here, it was more like, Okay, I've been doing this for a couple of weeks. It was kind of like riding a bike. I didn't feel a ton of stuff yet. Obviously when I play, I might have a lot of things come up. But yeah...

Q. When did you decide, I want to play singles?

SERENA WILLIAMS: What was that? So I think it was on, I had until Monday to decide. I think it was like Sunday. I just wasn't sure up until then. Honestly, I'm still not even sure, but we'll see (smiling).

Q. What do you anticipate your feelings might be like coming onto the court for your first match compared to other moments when you've come on the court for your first match at Wimbledon, whether it's as a defending champion or you've had every experience here, so...

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think my feelings will be different. I think in general my expectations are definitely different for the first time in my career.

I feel like my feelings are just - not that I never enjoyed it before, or else I wouldn't be here today - but I feel like I'm really going to enjoy being out there.

Q. Did you follow tennis during these years? If so, which was the player, male or female, that you watched with most pleasure? Who do you like now of the young guns that maybe weren't around when you were still on tour?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, there's so many players. First part of the question is, yes, I did follow. Not every single match and every single tournament. Mostly just Grand Slams.

Seeing Sabalenka just kind of do so well in so many of those Grand Slams has always been really cool to watch her. I love her intensity out there. But she was around when I was around, so that doesn't quite answer the question. Yeah, so...

Obviously watching Coco who wasn't super around, but I love watching her.

Q. Just wondered in the intervening years you had much time or inclination to look back at your career and think about particularly here and what you and Venus have achieved at Wimbledon? What were the things that mostly stood out for you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: And Mirra Andreeva. I like watching her a lot (smiling).

I don't really look too much in the past of what I've done. You would never know I was a professional athlete if you spent a day with me at home. My trophies are, they're not hidden, but they're in a room that's not crazy visible.

So I don't know. Like, I never really think too much about what Venus and I have done here. We do have memories sometimes. I think most memories I've had were the last couple of weeks, just mostly Olympic memories in particular. I don't know why. But yeah...

Q. One of your more memorable matches here from a British point of view was when you played Heather Watson on Centre Court in 2015, had to dig deep with Heather serving against you for the match. Heather is still on the tour. She's coming back from injury. She lost in qualifying. Do you have any words of comfort or advice for Heather as she attempts her own comeback? What are your memories of that match?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, Heather has always been such a strong athlete and strong player and smart player, as well. I've always loved seeing her on tour. And her mom. Her mom's really nice.

I think you just don't give up. If you really enjoy it, just keep going. I'm always rooting for Heather. There are a lot of people out there that are too.

No one can write your story. She can write her own story.

Q. What do you think of Grigor's comeback? What is the relationship like?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I always call Grigor my bestie, which he's definitely my guy bestie.

It was so good to see him. I mean, we obviously communicate outside of Grand Slams. I haven't seen him in almost a year, so...

Just catching up. Always have so many good memories with Grigor. He gets my crazy. I get his crazy. Believe me, he's way crazier than I am.

Q. Really?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah (smiling).

But yeah, he's so goodhearted and good natured. Yeah, it was really tough to see that last year. He's had a tough year just dealing with that injury.

You just got to continue to fight and continue to come back.

Q. Venus yesterday mentioned that you asked her before your first doubles match for a motivational quote, if she had anything she had been saying to herself. I assume that you're already very motivated if you're back out here and playing. What were you looking for maybe in that moment? Why turn to Venus rather than you've mentioned several other friends, people in your circle, that have been motivating you? What did you want to hear from her?

SERENA WILLIAMS: She thought way too much into that. That was for my playing cards. I don't know if you guys saw in Queen's, I posted my team through playing cards. I love Marvel and I love comics. Everyone had a motivational quote on the cards.

I don't even thinking I focused or read it. I just put it into AI and got a card, so... She read way too much into that (laughter). But don't tell her that.

Q. You said that you were kind of in two minds about singles. Were you nervous, whether you expect to be nervous on Tuesday? If so, is that something you might have missed, being nervous?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I expect to be nervous. I was also nervous every single match I ever played in my life. I think that showed the passion and the love and the care, that I cared about my job, whether it was the first round or the second round or the finals. I've always had some nerves. But then I just dust 'em off, then I move on.

I definitely expect to have those same feelings.

Q. You became famous over the years for your elaborate custom kits. Fashion in that way, still interest you? Do you have any thoughts on some of the blow back that Naomi has received from bringing fashion onto the court?

SERENA WILLIAMS: This was a game-time decision. Fashion obviously means a lot to me, but there's only so much you can do in such a quick turnaround. This wasn't planned. Again, this was not like super planned out.

I love fashion. I love however you express yourself. I think fashion is another way. I think as tennis players, it's hard for us to super express ourselves in many different ways. Whatever way you can do that I think is cool.

Q. What do you know about your opponent, Maya? How close have you come? Have you watched her videos to get up to speed on her game?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, actually I know her. I've watched some of her videos. I'm sure she knows my game, so yeah.

Q. The first week sort of got wind that you might be coming back was when you appeared in the anti-doping pool, whatever it was, October last year. Having had four years outside of that protocol, having spent the last six, seven months back in it, I assume you haven't missed it, how arduous is it going through that stuff?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's grueling. They changed the rules now. I didn't know some of the rules. So apparently if you miss a test outside of your window, it still counts as missed. I'm like, I guess I can't go pick up my kids.

It's unprofessional. I hate it. I think it's necessary, but I think a lot of the stuff, if I want to go places outside of my window, I should be able to go without having it count as a missed test.

I think that there has to be a different way to make it reasonable 'cause that's just unreasonable. That was a big reason why I didn't want to come back either, because it's just so hard. I mean, my life is busy, I run a company, I run a VC company, I travel the world. I have children. It's like I could be in so many different cities so many different times.

But just getting that discipline of, like, reporting. Obviously I don't mind because I love and I always have been very clear about what I do. Just getting in that routine of, like, all right, first of all, learning the new rules, then just getting back and reporting every day.

I guess now for 24 hours where I'm going to be is just different - at least for me. I don't know if that works for everyone else.

Q. Given the uncertainty you described when you made the decision to play singles, what pushed you to make it? What made you decide that you couldn't miss playing singles at Wimbledon this year?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I thought not every day Wimbledon holds a wild card for someone. I can name probably like a handful of people. I happened to be one of those people. I thought I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I'll ever make it here again. This could be it.

I was like, What's wrong with me, Serena? What are you thinking? Are you nuts? Like you really should do this.

People live to be an athlete. I have this great opportunity to showcase what I do, what I do best, I suppose. Yeah, I think ultimately I was like that is pretty cool, so I should do it.

Q. What were the doubts?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I never thought I'd be back here sitting in front of this. We all know how I feel about this. So I never thought I would do this again (smiling).

Yeah, all the above. When I revolved or evolved, I had never thought I'd come back.

Q. Queen's pretournament you said being back on the court felt like riding a bike uphill. Now that you've played a few matches, does it feel less steep now?

SERENA WILLIAMS: For me the ride has always been uphill, yeah. There's only been a few times it's been downhill. Those are fun times.

I think that's just in general. Like, if you want to do something good or great, you have to always push yourself more. Even if it's easy, you should take the uphill route.

So yeah, I still feel like it's uphill.

Q. Obviously Caroline Wozniacki is a big name in our country. She came back with kids. Have you talked to her about the dos and don'ts playing tennis with the kids? How will it be to play at Centre Court especially with your eight-year-old who understands what's going on right now?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I talk to her all the time actually. Her kids are way younger than mine. I don't know how she did that.

Q. Mirra Andreeva was in here yesterday and said she was watching the draw behind her hands 'cause she didn't want to draw you in the first round. She said, Trust me, nobody wants to play Serena in the first round. How does it feel that the rest of the field still feels that way about you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Respectfully, it's not surprising simply because I think anyone that's done, it's like the big four coming back, I mean, Novak is still here, but no one would want to play them in their first round. I can't think of anyone that would want to do that.

I just think that's an immense amount of respect, which is yet another reason why I love her. Also just natural feelings. Like, especially at a Grand Slam, you want to warm up, you want to play someone. No one knows how my game may or may not have evolved, what to expect, don't know much. Those type of opponents are always very difficult to play.

I think that has also a lot of things to do with it.

Q. I worked on your last ever Wimbledon match. You're a legend. You've already got a legacy. What message are you looking to imprint now that you don't think you've already done? Is there anything new?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Honestly, I regrettably can't say that there is. I wish I could. I think that message is going to be after everything. I think there will be a message that I will think of and I will learn also and I can spread. But as of now, I just think you have to believe in yourself and go for any dream, no matter how wild it may be.