"I cannot imagine Serena Williams coming back from this" - When American legend proved Mary Carillo wrong with injury comeback at Wimbledon

Serena Williams had a frightening moment at Wimbledon in 2007 when she suddenly collapsed on the grass, leaving the crowd stunned. The injury looked serious, and many feared the worst. Commentator Mary Carillo even expressed doubts about Williams’ ability to recover and continue in the tournament, but the American ultimately proved her wrong.

Williams got past Lourdes Dominguez Lino, Alicia Molik, and Milagros Sequera before setting up a clash with Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round. She clinched the opening set, dropped the second, and then, in a shocking turn of events, suffered from a brutal cramp in her left calf.

The injury was so severe that cameras caught her calf locked in a painful cramp, visibly rigid as she lay on the grass. She winced in agony while receiving treatment, and the moment sent ripples through the tennis world. NBC commentator Carillo, watching it unfold live, doubted she’d even finish the match, let alone bounce back from such a brutal blow.

"I cannot imagine Serena Williams coming back from this. She could star in her own made-for-television movie. And it would be ongoing," Carillo said.

However, Williams showed incredible resilience and silenced all doubts with her sheer willpower. Despite the pain, she fought back and secured a stunning 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-2 win to move into the quarterfinals of the grasscourt Slam.

Serena Williams: "I was going to go back on the court no matter what"

Serena Williams pictured at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships | Image Source: Getty