London, June 29 (UNI) The 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams is ready to hit the practice courts after her first-round loss at Wimbledon. The US tennis star hopes she'll be able to play her home Slam at the US Open in September.
Williams returned to singles action for the first time in 12 months but was narrowly edged out by Harmony Tan of France on Tuesday.
She made her return to competition in the week before Wimbledon at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne, where she played two doubles matches with World No.2 Ons Jabeur.
"It definitely makes me want to hit the practice courts because you're playing not bad and you're so close. Any other opponent probably would have suited my game better," Williams said after the game, as quoted by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) on Wednesday.
"I feel like that it's actually kind of like, 'OK, Serena, you can do this if you want.'"
"When you're at home, especially in New York, and the US Open, that being the first place I've won a Grand Slam, is something that's always super special," Williams said. "Your first time is always special.
"There's definitely lots of motivation to get better and to play at home."
Outside of her desire to play at home, Williams brushed aside questions about her future. Asked if she might have played her final Wimbledon, she demurred.
"That's a question I can't answer," she said. I don't know. Who knows? Who knows where I'll pop up. Like I said coming into this, I'm just planning for right now, seeing how I feel, just to go from there," she added.
UNI BAV RNJ