LONDON (AP) — When Serena Williams played her first professional tennis match in nearly four years recently, another elite female athlete in her 40s was on hand for the occasion.
Skier Lindsey Vonn has a special understanding of what Williams is going through as she prepares to play both singles and doubles at Wimbledon at age 44.
After making her own comeback, Vonn was the top World Cup downhiller last season at age 41 until her horrific crash at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February left her with a severely fractured left leg.
“There is an increasing shift in what women can accomplish at later stages in their careers or life,” Vonn told The Associated Press. “I feel like we are in the same boat, where we don’t need to prove anything to anyone but we still have the ability to compete at an elite level. She (Willliams) also told me that I played a role in inspiring her to come back so that of course was meaningful to me.”
Vonn talked with Williams after the tennis standout’s doubles victory with partner Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club in London, having watched the match from one of the VIP balconies.
“She was in great spirits. She’s having fun which I loved seeing, even more than her tennis,” Vonn said in a written response. “If it’s bringing her joy to play, I say play as long as you want!”
Vonn has undergone eight surgeries following her Olympic crash — which nearly led to a leg amputation — and needs at least one more to repair a torn ACL in that same knee. But she’s back in the gym and has resumed physical training, while still assessing whether she’ll compete again.
After nearly six years away from skiing, Vonn returned in December 2024 with a partial titanium replacement in her right knee. She had two victories and seven podium results last season.
On Centre Court at Wimbledon on Tuesday, Williams will play her first singles match since 2022 against 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia. Then she’ll play doubles with older sister Venus Williams later in the week.
So what does Vonn expect from Williams at Wimbledon?
“It’s her first major singles tournament since retiring so I would expect for her to play well but not show all her cards yet,” Vonn said. “I’m sure she can still win, but I wouldn’t put any expectations on her. She’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) no matter what happens.”
Indeed, Williams is a 23-time Grand Slam champion in singles and has won 14 more Grand Slams in doubles — all with Venus as her partner. Vonn’s 45 World Cup downhill wins are the most by a male or female skier.
“It was kind of like riding a bike,” Williams said Sunday of her first practice sessions back at the All England Club. “Obviously when I play, I might have a lot of things come up.”
No matter the outcome, Williams shares Vonn’s credo of setting the bar high to create new standards.
“You have to believe in yourself and go for any dream,” Williams said, “no matter how wild it may be.”
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press
