Serena Williams Returns to Wimbledon to Defend Title
It had been nearly a year since Serena Williams played tennis until she played last week in Eastbourne, losing in the second round to Vera Zvonareva.
And, despite winning Wimbledon last year, Williams has had an extensive lay-off and still isn't in top form since returning in 2011.
But in a recent poll of eight SI.com experts, four claimed Williams would win Wimbledon.
The funny thing is, it actually didn't seem far-fetched.
Is this a sign that women's tennis is in dire straights, where not even the No. 1 women's tennis player in the world inspires much confidence?
READ MORE: Wimbledon 2011: The Top 25 Matches of the Last 25 Years
Carolina Wozniacki has been No. 1 for a while now, but she's not talked about in particularly glowing terms. Since when does the top player in tennis have a so-so serve? Since when does the No. 1 player play so poorly in the French Open?
Zvonareva, No. 3 in the world, has certainly capitalized on the unrest at the top, but she's not a dominant player.
Same goes for Li Na.
Up until Roland Garros, former No. 1 Maria Sharapova was rising in the ranks. But her loss to Na, complete with the same problems that have plagued her since 2008, painted the picture that she still had issues with her game (most noticeably, her startling propensity to commit unforced errors).
The truth is, right now, Williams still has the chance to win in Wimbledon even after surgery and months of rehabilitation. So is the state of women's tennis right now.
But we shouldn't take anything away from Williams if she wins this year. She's proven she is that dominant player rarely seen in women's tennis right now.
Women's tennis still has Williams, and that's certainly worth something.
Christina Applegate Shana Hiatt Tara Conner Drea de Matteo Trista Rehn
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