Serena Williams ready for comeback

Asheville:  Serena Williams has spoken out about the “ups and downs” she faced during her year away from competitive tennis but insists she’s now focused and ready for her quest to once more dominate her sport.

Speaking ahead of her comeback at the Fed Cup in Asheville, North Carolina, where the United States will begin the defence of its crown against an unfancied Netherlands team, the 36-year-old said she had the benefit of a new outlook following the birth of her baby daughter Alexis Olympia in September.

“There have been a lot of ups and downs in the practice,” Williams told reporters Friday. “It also gives me another view; it’s almost relaxing for me as I have nothing to prove. Just fighting against all odds to be out there again, to be competing again.”

Some of that struggle was apparent during an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi in December, where she lost to French Open Champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Williams was beaten in straight sets and appeared a little slow on her feet, even as she played some fine shots.

She had initially targeted last month’s Australian Open crown for a defence of her 2017 crown, but abandoned that goal after declaring she was not “where I personally want to be.”

Perhaps wary of setting another ambitious target, Williams refused to be drawn on whether she had set her sights on the year’s remaining Grand Slams  the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.

For now, she appears to be easing her way in and was not named as the United States’ first or second singles player in a powerful US team that includes elder sister Venus, world number 17 CoCo Vandeweghe and world number 62 Lauren Davis.

That means she isn’t scheduled to play in either of the singles matches on Saturday which are followed by reverse singles on Sunday, but will instead play in a doubles tie with teammate Davis against Lesley Kerkhove and Demi Schuurs.

US Captain Kathy Rinaldi did not rule out a change on the second day.

“As far as the line-up, we have the line-up set for tomorrow, then of course we’ll wait and see how tomorrow goes, then we’ll make our adjustments, if any,” she said.

Serena boasts a strong Fed Cup record, with a 13-0 singles mark that includes winning 26 out of her 28 sets as well as a 3-1 doubles record.

None of the Dutch players are in the top 100 in singles rankings, but Kerkhove and Schuurs are ranked 65 and 32 respectively in doubles and could prove a handful.

“I think the underdog (tag) fits us very well,” said Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis. “We’re going to give it 100 percent like we always do.”