Aaron Rodgers Makes His Feelings On Serena Williams' Comeback Crystal Clear
Serena Williams' Grand Slam days were thought to be over after she was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon in 2021. According to ESPN, the tennis legend was leading 3-1 during the first set against Aliaksandra Sasnovich when she slipped on the grass and injured the hamstring in her right leg. Williams returned to play despite clearly being in pain, and soldiered on until eventually slumping to her knees and then limping off court.
"My love and gratitude are with the fans and the team who make being on centre court so meaningful," Williams wrote on Instagram at the time. "Feeling the extraordinary warmth and support of the crowd today when I walked on – and off – the court meant the world to me." The injury prevented her from entering the 2022 Australian Open. "While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete," she shared in a statement on Twitter.
Many thought it was unlikely Williams would return, given her age and the seriousness of the injury. Even the star herself had doubts. She admitted to Bloomberg she was "living for the day" as she bided her time and waited to see if she'd fully recover. But as any sports fan should know by now, nobody puts Williams in the corner. Sure enough, she plans to come back, to the surprise and joy of many — including NFL star Aaron Rodgers, who made his feelings on Williams' comeback clear.
Aaron Rodgers hypes up Serena Williams
Serena Williams announced she was making her return to the pro tennis world in an Instagram Story video. She explained that she was backstage at the 2022 Bitcoin conference in Miami, hanging with Aaron Rodgers. Williams shared that she'd been talking to the NFL player about her comeback, and it appears that Rodgers is her biggest cheerleader. "He's been hyping me up and getting me ready for Wimbledon, can't wait!" Williams said.
While Rodgers is all in supporting Williams, he's definitely lacking on the tennis knowledge side. "What about the US Open?" he asked. "Wimbledon is before the US Open. I have to play Wimbledon first," a laughing Williams explained to the Green Bay Packers quarterback. "She's back," Rodgers responded, pointing a finger at his fellow athlete. Not surprisingly, the video rapidly started going viral, and the Tennis Channel tweeted it out on their official account, writing, "We can't wait to see you back on court!"
Meanwhile, sports fans were quick to weigh in with opinions. "Serena and Aaron, the duo we didn't know we needed," one fan tweeted in support. Others weren't amused by the meet-up. "What I can't get past is Serena willingly being so close to Aaron Rodgers without wearing a hazmat suit," one Twitter user wrote, likely referencing Rodgers' COVID-19 vaccine controversy during the 2021-2022 NFL season. We'll have to see if Rodgers makes an appearance in Williams' player box!