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

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Seven-time Wimbledon singles champion Serena Williams has been given a wildcard to make her comeback at the All England Club By Jonathan Jurejko BBC Sport tennis news reporter Published 17 minutes ago Every great fighter thinks they have one great fight left in them. That old adage is usually applied to boxers who come out of retirement for another swing - but it feels particularly relevant as 44-year-old Serena Williams makes the next step in her comeback to professional tennis. The 23-time Grand Slam champion will return to the singles court at Wimbledon next week after a four-year absence from the sport she once dominated. In many eyes, the American superstar is the greatest player of all-time - certainly in the women's game - and she clearly believes she has the ability to win matches again. But the reality is Williams has not played a competitive singles match since the 2022 US Open and launching her comeback at the All England Club is an ambitious move. Williams insists she does not "need to win" and rightly says she has "nothing to prove". The fire still burns in her belly, though. "Serena's mindset has always been to be the best and not settle for mediocrity," former world number one Lindsay Davenport, one of Williams' main rivals in the early 2000s, told BBC Sport. "I think we have to assume that she's coming back because she feels she's in a position where she can make an impact immediately in women's tennis." It was only a matter of time before Williams would be tempted back to singles action after making her return on the doubles court at Queen's. The US Open, which starts in late August, seemed a more obvious starting point. But, having played two doubles matches and practised intensely at Wimbledon over the past few days, Williams believes she is sharp and solid enough to return at the place where she won seven singles title. A lot of athletes dream of rolling back the years but discover the reality of proving they can still compete - and not simply indulging in a nostalgia trip - is a different matter. Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Williams will also play with older sister Venus, 46, in the Wimbledon women's doubles, which the pair have already won six times Williams, who turns 45 in September, is the oldest player in the women's singles main draw by some margin - she has six years on Germany's Tatjana Maria, the oldest player in the WTA top 100. Williams is an inspiration to millions across the world and her message of being able to "do anything at any age" is admirable. But there is no doubt that age is likely to be a barrier to her hopes of winning singles matches at Wimbledon, and two doubles matches does not feel like enough preparation to beat the world's very best. There is little comparison between singles and doubles in terms of athletic output. Williams' movement and stamina will come under severe examination by her more youthful opponents. The majority of the leading