Serena Williams introduced her new coaching staff through trading cards on social media one day before her scheduled return to professional tennis at the HSBC Championships.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion named Jarmere Jenkins as head coach, Rennae Stubbs as assistant coach and Derick Pierson as fitness trainer. Jenkins previously served as her hitting partner for five years, while Stubbs coached her during the 2022 US Open. Williams and doubles partner Victoria Mboko received a wildcard entry and were drawn against third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe in the first round. The match is scheduled to begin no earlier than 5:30 pm local time. Williams said she has hit with Mboko only twice but felt improvement in her movement. She noted that Mboko’s consistent winning after their first meeting reminded her of her own approach. The announcement came hours after Williams secured the wildcard for the London event, marking her first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open.
