Serena Williams 'crazy' for returning to tennis says Eugenie Bouchard, as 23-time major winner confirms comeback
Updated 01/06/2026 at 23:29 GMT+1
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Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard has said Serena Williams is "crazy" for deciding to return to tennis. Williams will play in the doubles at Queen's Club.
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The legendary Williams is returning to the sport at the age of 44, four years after her last match.
She will play in the doubles at Queen's, alongside Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, with speculation growing that she may compete at Wimbledon soon after.
Bouchard, speaking at Roland-Garros during the French Open - live on TNT Sports and HBO Max - had her say on the comeback story that is the talk of the sporting world.
"I think it's crazy if she comes back," Bouchard said.
"I think good for her for putting in the work. It's so hard to be a professional tennis player, you have to dedicate and sacrifice so much.
"It's part of the reason I retired, you have to be 100% all in or else you don't even have a chance.
"For her to still want to do that at her age, with her two beautiful kids, I'm like, go and enjoy your retirement girl. Go on vacation, enjoy life.
"But I can understand, we have such love for the game, wanting to come back."
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Williams has won 23 Grand Slam titles in her extraordinary three-decade career, making her one of the most recognised sportspeople on the planet.
In a video posted to social media on Monday, Williams said: "Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter.
"Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages."
Raducanu hate 'totally unjustified'
Bouchard also leapt to the defence of British star Emma Raducanu, who exited this year's French Open in the first round.
The Brit famously captured a maiden Grand Slam as a qualifier at the 2021 US Open but has since failed to reach those heights again.
In fact, since that run at Flushing Meadows, Raducanu has not been past the fourth round at a Grand Slam.
She has been hampered by injuries, most notably to both of her wrists in 2023, and has been through several coaches in a bid to rediscover her best form.
But Bouchard thinks the scrutiny the 23-year-old receives is ”totally unjustified” and that whether or not she wins any more Grand Slams, she has already enjoyed a career most tennis players would dream of.
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”It’s been unbelievable what she did, and no one can ever take that Slam away from her,” Bouchard said.
”I think the hate she gets is totally unjustified. Just because you won a Slam once doesn’t mean you can win one every single year.
”The only ones who can do that in our sports are the actual GOATs. I felt the same kind of pressure after reaching the finals, this expectation to continue these amazing results.
”It’s really hard to go far in a Grand Slam and so she needs to just appreciate what she’s done, put her head down and work hard, but I think she’s doing that.
”If she’ll win another one she will, but if not, she’ll still have a great career regardless.”
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