Serena Williams ‘super ready’ for six-week mission as she sets sights on US Open-French Open double

A Serena Williams return

Serena Williams is confident fitness won’t be an issue over the next six weeks as she prepares to compete at both the US Open and French Open.

Playing in her second tournament following tennis’ five-month enforced break, Williams was on the brink of making a second-round exit from the Western & Southern Open at the hands of Arantxa Rus.

The unseeded Rus served for the match in the decider, but the American hit back and eventually won 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 7-6 (7-0).

The two-hour and 49-minute battle was her longest match since 2012, but the 23-time Grand Slam winner was more than ready for the tough encounter as she has been putting in the hard yards.

“I’m actually super fit and I’m super ready. I feel like I’m ready for anything,” she said.

“I think the reason I wanted to be super fit was because it is six weeks in a row basically playing tennis every day, so this is a really good opportunity for me to get ready and be super ready for clay, as well.”

Williams will face 13th seed Maria Sakkari for a place in the quarter-final, but she has bigger fish to fry as her sights are firmly set on the US Open and the clay-court season, which will culminate with the French Open starting on September 27.

“I think the reason I wanted to be super fit was because it is six weeks in a row basically playing tennis every day, so this is a really good opportunity for me to get ready and be super ready for clay, as well.”

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