Andrea Petkovic has never been one to hold back her opinions, and this time Serena Williams found herself at the center of the discussion. The former German player recently revealed why an announcement involving the American during the French Open did not sit well with her.
Williams initially retired from tennis after the 2022 US Open, which at the time marked the end of her illustrious career. However, on June 2 this year, she officially confirmed that she would be making a comeback to the sport. The announcement came while the French Open was still underway.
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Petkovic, who was hosting a show for CNN during the tournament, revealed that she was asked to open the show by discussing Serena Williams’ return. However, she chose not to do so. The German explained that while she has no issue with Williams personally, she felt it was more important to focus on the players competing in difficult conditions in Paris, especially with many struggling in the extreme heat.
“It bothered me,” Petkovic said on her podcast with Boris Becker. “I was hosting a show for CNN, and the day they announced her return, they wanted me to start the show talking about it. I refused. I told them that right behind me there was a Grand Slam tournament going on and the players were dying of heat. I refused to start the show with that.”
“Serena is an absolute legend, but while a Major tournament is underway, I’m not going to start the show with that. I’ll give you more details later, but I want to start the program talking about the players who are giving their all here. The Grand Slam wasn’t the most important thing anymore; Serena’s return to doubles was more important,” she added.
Andrea Petkovic on Serena Williams’ comeback: “She was fantastic”
Serena Williams made her highly anticipated return to tennis at the 2026 HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club, teaming up with rising star Victoria Mboko in doubles. The pair looked impressive together and defeated Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez in straight sets to reach the second round. However, their campaign came to an unfortunate end after Mboko suffered a knee injury and was forced to withdraw from the tournament.
Petkovic watched the match closely and admitted that she was stunned by Williams’ level despite the long layoff. In particular, the German was impressed by the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s serve, saying it looked every bit as powerful as it did before her retirement.
“I watched her match and I have to say, Boris, she was fantastic. Serving at 120 miles per hour,” Petkovic said on her podcast with Boris Becker. “The stadium was packed, with every seat sold. If she can carry that over to singles matches, I never would, but good for her.”
Next up for Serena Williams is the Berlin Open, where she is set to compete in doubles once again, this time partnering Karolina Muchova. The American has also reportedly been lined up to play mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open later this year.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh