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Serena Williams' Wimbledon participation announcement drew reactions not just from her huge community of fans, but also from her fellow tennis players, both current and former.
Doubles legends Pam Shriver and Rennae Stubbs, as well as her fellow American Taylor Townsend, were among those who reacted to the news of Williams' participation at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.
On Tuesday, Williams shared a picture from the practice courts and announced that she is preparing for Wimbledon. After that, tournament organizers confirmed that Williams was given a wildcard to play this year.
Shriver, a 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion, said that she woke up to the good news of her compatriot Williams' entry for the grasscourt Major.
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"Ok waking up in California to some exciting @serenawilliams @Wimbledon news!" Shriver wrote on Twitter.
Former doubles World No. 1 Rennae Stubbs also reacted to the development, expressing her happiness at the fact that Williams' withdrawal from last year's event due to an injury will no longer be her final appearance at Wimbledon.
"I am SO happy to hear Serena Williams is coming back!!! Never want to see a great champion limp off a court in tears and never return!!!! Let’s go SW!!!!" wrote Stubbs.
American Taylor Townsend and Britain's Naomi Broady also reacted to Williams' Instagram post about the announcement.
"I CANT WAIT!!!" wrote Townsend as a comment on Williams' post.
While Williams will return to Grand Slam tennis at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, she will make her much awaited comeback to the sport a week prior to Wimbledon. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has also received a wildcard for the doubles event at the Eastbourne International next week.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) announced that Williams will partner with Ons Jabeur at Eastbourne. The main-draw for the event begins on Sunday, June 19. There is also the possibility of Williams playing singles at Eastbourne if she receives a wildcard for the same.
“I am excited to return to the Rothesay International tournament in England and to be back on the grass - a surface that has been so good to me throughout my career. Eastbourne has a unique charm that you don’t see anywhere else on Tour and I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans again," Serena Williams said on her comeback.
Serena Williams eyes several milestones at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships
Serena Williams has been chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title for a long time now, and will resume her bid in a few days from now. Williams last won a Major title at the 2017 Australian Open.
Additionally, she is also chasing a landmark 100 singles wins at Wimbledon. Williams is two away from the milestone at the grasscourt Major, where she is a 7-time champion. She is second only to Martina Navratilova, who has won 120 singles matches at SW19.
The American's last singles title at Wimbledon came back in 2016 when she defeated Angelique Kerber. She made the final on two occasions since then, losing to Kerber in 2018 and to Simona Halep in 2019.
Williams' Wimbledon legacy also extends to doubles, where she and sister Venus have won all six finals they have played in.
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