Tennis: Williams Sisters Return to Action at Eastbourne

Serena Williams and her big sister Venus are finally back in action. After lengthy lay-offs, the duo are primed to challenge at Wimbledon. First however they must tackle a tricky field at the WTA event in Eastbourne. Al Dannity says their performances here could be great indicators about what to expect at the All England Club.

Not doing a Clijsters
In my preview of the French Open I told Tennis betting fans to be wary of Kim Clijsters. The Belgian is undoubtedly talented but she was entering a Grand Slam after a lengthy break with no warm-up event to help her get ready. Serena and Venus Williams may have noticed Clijsters’ struggles. The duo, who have dominated women’s Tennis for a decade, know that they could do with a few matches to shake off any rust before the big challenge in SW19.

Watch the little things
Serena has been out of action for quite a long time. Her last match was an exhibition with Clijsters in July and she hasn’t played competitively since winning Wimbledon last year. There were injuries to battle, and serious ones at that, and one has to ask if she will be able to return to the level she played at a year ago.

How she performs at Eastbourne next week will prove most informative. It won’t be a shock if Serena comes out all guns blazing but that isn’t the most important thing to watch out for. Keep an eye on how her error count fluctuates through the rounds. If there’s a noticeable drop in the number of unforced errors as she progresses through the field, then it will be a good sign that she is working on tightening up her game ahead of the third grand slam of the year.

The British factor
It’s no accident that the sisters are making their return ahead of Wimbledon. They have dominated here even more than at Flushing Meadows or Melbourne. With the 2012 Olympic tournament set to be played at Wimbledon too, they have the added incentive to maintain control of the brief but prestigious grass court season. It makes sense that they would choose the WTA’s second biggest event in the United Kingdom as preparation for the comeback.

A tournament victory is certainly achievable for Serena or Venus but it’s not the end-goal for either. A few good run-outs against some top-level competition, improving with each match, would be ideal. Expect some flawed play from both in the early rounds but no upsets, with notable improvements as they reach the business end of proceedings later in the week.