Serena Williams Returns To Wimbledon Driven By Family And Legacy: 'Olympia And Adira'

Last Updated:June 27, 2026, 16:16 IST

Serena Williams, 44, returns to Wimbledon singles and doubles with Venus, saying family and daughters Olympia and Adira drive her comeback, as Christopher Eubanks praises her form

Serena Williams’ remarkable return to professional tennis appears to be driven by far more than the pursuit of additional trophies. As the 44-year-old prepares for her first singles appearance in nearly four years at Wimbledon, family has emerged as the biggest motivation behind her comeback.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion will compete in both the singles and doubles events, partnering sister Venus Williams in the latter. Throughout her preparations, Serena has been accompanied by her daughters, Olympia and Adira, who have become constant fixtures during training and tournament week.

Serena Williams has frequently joked about the timing of her return, often pointing to the school holidays as the perfect opportunity.

“Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose," Williams said on X shortly after her singles wild card was announced last weekend.

She also shared a glimpse into her training routine on social media, posting a video of Adira helping her with resistance-band exercises alongside the caption: “Rumor has it…I got a new trainer."

Former ATP professional Christopher Eubanks, who watched Williams closely during her comeback doubles appearance at Queen’s Club, believes the American legend’s decision extends well beyond tennis.

“There’s no changes to her legacy that will come as a result of this return. I don’t see anyone changing their mind about where Serena Williams stands all-time," Eubanks told The Associated Press on Thursday of the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion.

“This is about more than just records. At this point, it’s more about family," said Eubanks. “Not just playing in front of her daughters, but having her daughters sit there and watch her train every day and have to wake up and put in the long, hard yards and doing fitness and doing treatment. For her daughters to have to watch her be super disciplined, that has to be just as much of a factor."

Reflecting on what Serena’s children will remember most, Eubanks added: “They will forever know (Williams) as, ‘Oh, you know, mommy is the GOAT of tennis,’"

“But then if they have memories of being able to actually watch her go through that training, to me, that feels like what this is about more than anything else," Eubanks added.

Williams revealed her daughters had different priorities during her recent comeback event.

“Adira wanted to go to the toy store, and Olympia wanted to know what was for dinner," Williams said.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for over a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket conten...Read More

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