Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, has expressed his support for Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, as she returns to tennis after nearly four years. Djokovic, who has also faced high expectations throughout his career, understands the pressure Williams is under.

Williams, 44, recently lost in the first round of Wimbledon to 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia. Despite the loss, Williams showed she can still be competitive, serving faster than 120 mph and dictating points with her heavy groundstrokes. However, movement was an issue, and Joint was able to win more of the big points.

Djokovic’s Comments

Djokovic said, ‘People always expect you to play at your best because they’re used to seeing you dominate the sport for many years.’ He added, ‘She’s 44. She has two children. Coming back, it’s normal that she still is not at her best in terms of movement.’ Djokovic also stated, ‘People need to cool off a little bit with judgment and criticism and everything. Let’s just enjoy the greatness, who she is, what she represents to the sport.’

Djokovic hopes Williams will play more, saying, ‘I hope for the sake of tennis and all of us that we be able to see her more.’ He also expressed his desire to see her play in this year’s U.S. Open, stating, ‘I assume that U.S. Open is somewhere where she would like to play. Playing in her home Slam would be amazing for her and for everyone else.’

Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.