"I take all my hats off to her that she has come back, I'm very excited to see where and when we'll see her again" - Angelique Kerber on Serena Williams

Tennis superstar Serena Williams had her return to competitive action come to an abrupt end in the first round of Wimbledon. The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who received a wildcard entry into the tournament, lost to Harmony Tan in her opening round match.

Angelique Kerber, speaking after winning her second round match against Magda Linette, praised the American's attitude and professionalism in returning to action.

"I take all my hats off to her that she has come back. It shows that she is a champion and still does everything she can to play on Centre Court," said Angelique Kerber, adding, "I'm very excited to see where and when we'll see her again."

Williams and Kerber have shared the court on nine occasions, with the American winning six times. Of the three Majors that Kerber has triumphed in, two of the finals were against Serena Williams and their head-to-head is locked at 2-2 in Grand Slams.

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Serena Williams' disappointing comeback

Day Two: The Championships - Wimbledon 2022

Coming into Wimbledon this year, one of the biggest storylines was the return of Serena Williams to competitive action. The American had not played since 2021 Wimbledon and plummeted in the rankings as a result. There was also hope that her comeback could also see her return to the summit once again.

However, it was not meant to be. The seven-time Wimbledon champion first returned to the court with Ons Jabeur in doubles action at the Eastbourne International. While the duo were making strides, Jabeur had to pull out of the tournament ahead of the semifinals due to an injury.

Serena Williams, who would have been desperate to get some more competitive matches under her belt, entered SW19 having played just two competitive matches in nearly a year. This was very much visible in the match against Harmony Tan as she just did not have the rhythm, losing 7-5, 1-6, 7-6(7) in three hours and 10 minutes.

Addressing rumors about this potentially being her last match at Wimbledon, Williams said that she could not confirm or deny anything.

“That's a question I can't answer [on returning to Wimbledon next year]. I don't know. Who knows? Who knows if I'll be there or not,” Williams said.

She did, however, confirm her intentions to compete at this year's US Open

“When you are at home, especially in New York, and knowing that the US Open is the first Grand Slam I have won, it is definitely something super special. Your first time is always special. I have a lot of motivation to improve and to play at home,” Williams said.