They say even the greatest athlete can’t beat Father Time, but Serena Williams is hoping to prove that you can at least compete, as the 44-year-old makes her return to tennis. The GOAT player opted to play not only in the Wimbledon singles tournament, but also in the doubles tournament with fellow veteran player and brother Venus. (Sadly, she lost against Maya Joint in her singles wildcard match at Wimbledon.)
That being said, longtime fans of Williams have been quick to notice that their player’s box doesn’t look quite the same these days. This is largely due to the fact that his former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has not been paying attention to his competition. The two ended their player/coach relationship in 2022, shortly before playing at their last Grand Slam, the 2022 US Open. So who is training Williams for her return to tennis?
Meet Jermere Jenkins
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Jermere Jenkins is definitely a familiar face to tennis fans. The University of Virginia alumnus was himself a tennis professional, with his highest career singles ranking of world No. 190. However, he may be more recognizable to some as Williams’ longtime hitting partner. He has been her hitting partner since 2017, so he was #TeamSerena when Mouratoglou was steering the coaching ship.
Given Jenkins’ years of experience working with Williams, it was not a surprise to anyone that she reached out to her to help with a potential solo comeback.
Meet Rene Stubbs
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While Jenkins is helping Williams in her solo comeback, rene stubbs The couple has largely been there to help the GOAT in the game. Stubbs is uniquely qualified for this role, given that she was previously ranked world No. 1 in doubles in 2000 and has won 60 doubles titles, including four doubles and two mixed doubles Grand Slam victories.
Stubbs also has coaching experience with Williams. When Williams split from Mouratoglou in 2022, Stubbs stepped in to coach her for the 2022 US Open. Additionally, she has provided strategic insight and guidance to former top players, Karolina Pliskova and Samantha Stosur.
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