Williams is the greatest - but will she produce another great fight?

Williams has not won a Grand Slam since the 2017 Australian Open, when she was 35. She has since given birth to two daughters - Olympia, now aged eight, and two-year-old Adira. After her first comeback in 2018, Williams reached four Grand Slam finals - twice at Wimbledon and twice at the US Open - but lost them all. Her past two Wimbledon appearances - in 2021 and 2022 - have ended in first-round defeats. What Williams has in her favour is one of the greatest technical talents ever seen - and an incomparable aura. Winning a 24th major to tie Margaret Court's all-time women's record seems out of reach, but Williams will have looked at the open nature of the WTA Tour and felt there are plenty of players she can still beat. The power and accuracy of her serve was particularly effective on the grass and she will be hoping her opening shot can earn her plenty of free points. Her odds of winning matches are certainly favourable at Wimbledon, especially if she faces a relatively inexperienced opponent who may get overawed by what is bound to be an electric occasion on Centre Court. World number nine Victoria Mboko played doubles with Williams at Queen's and was convinced the veteran is "ready to go". "She has such clean ball striking. She could take years off and once she steps on the court she could probably find her rhythm and timing again," said the 19-year-old Canadian. "I think that's really a god-given gift she has. …