Serena Williams retired? Not so much. Although she hasn’t played since losing to Naomi Osaka in the Melbourne semifinals in February, she’s been practicing very intensely and ready to get back to it. Here are the highlights:

• She’s back to “start fresh” to go after Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles.
• Her intense practice included her time on clay courts back home in the U.S. with 2 ½ weeks on red dirt at the French academy run by her coach, Patrick Mourtaoglou.
• After all the intense training, Serena Williams said she feels good about her upcoming matches and being at another Grand Slam. She’s excited about what’s to come.
• Williams, 39, has only one more Grand Slam to tie Court’s record.
• She says that her fans shouldn’t look into the lack of content about tennis information she shares on social media because she likes to keep her mystique. She’s really practicing and replies to fans by saying,  “I don’t always show my cards.”
• With the time off she says, it’s good to start fresh but it’s difficult at the same time.
• Williams has been asked if she’ll play at the Tokyo Olympics given the protocols meaning she can’t bring her daughter. Of course, she’s attached to the hip with her 3-year-old. 
• However, she says she has to weigh her options. With the pandemic and the Grand Slam, there’s a lot on her plate. She’s been taking it a day at a time but knows she needs to figure out what’s next.