Serena Williams wishes Lewis Hamilton on his return to social media

Serena Williams was one of the first to react to seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton's return to social media after a near-two-month-long absence.

Hamilton's last social media post came back in December when he said he was "looking strong and feeling focused" ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

However, the Brit ended his hiatus by taking to social media on Sunday. He posted a photograph of himself in the Grand Canyon, acknowledging his long absence from social media in the caption, writing: "I'm back."

"I’ve been gone. Now I’m back!" Hamilton wrote on his latest social media post.

The post - which has since been liked by over 2.3 million people - has drawn a number of reactions from the sporting fraternity, with fellow athletes and sporting observers welcoming the Brit back.

Serena Williams, a long-standing fan and admirer, was also quick to react to Hamilton's post. The 23-time Grand Slam champion hit the comments section of the now-famous post, writing, "I love you brother."

"I love you brother, so much," Serena Williams wrote in a comment.

A disappointing end to the last leg of the championship in Abu Dhabi saw the Brit miss out on a record-breaking eighth world title. The 37-year-old finished runner-up to Max Verstappen following a controversial race.

The Brit has made very few public appearances since losing the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He was also silent on social media in the aftermath of the race, which saw race director Michael Masi being accused of manipulating the rules in favor of Verstappen.

The issue escalated to a point where Hamilton was believed to have contemplated not returning to F1, saying "we’ll see about next year" in a short interview at the Abu Dhabi parc ferme. However, the Brit was recently spotted with his personal trainer, hinting at a likely return.

Serena Williams slips further in the latest world rankings

The former World No. 1 last lifted a title at the 2020 Women's ASB Classic

Serena Williams last played a competitive match at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, where she was forced to retire from her opening-round encounter against Aliaksandra Sasnovich after suffering a foot injury.

The American's continued absence from the tour has taken a toll on her ranking as she dropped out of the top 200 at the conclusion of the 2022 Australian Open.

The former World No. 1 slipped a further three spots in this week's updated rankings and now finds herself sitting at no. 247.