LONDON (AP) 鈥� Anticipation is building at for first singles match in nearly four years.
The 44-year-old Williams is scheduled to play an opponent less than half her age, , in the third match Tuesday on Centre Court 鈥� the patch of grass where the American standout won seven of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
鈥淚 think everyone鈥檚 feeling the same way: Cannot wait to be watching Serena back on Centre Court again,鈥� Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Club, said Monday.
Wimbledon organizers took the unusual step of holding up until she accepted the invitation at almost the last possible moment the weekend before qualifying began.
鈥淲e were all sitting there sort of quietly keeping our fingers crossed that that鈥檚 what would happen,鈥� Bolton said when asked by The Associated Press how anxious the club was while Williams pondered her decision.
鈥淪he is such an icon of the sport and particularly here at the championship she鈥檚 one of our most special champions,鈥� Bolton added. 鈥淪o it really will be the ticket to have tomorrow when she walks back on Centre Court.鈥�
Whether it was related to Williams or not, the queue (line) of would-be-spectators camping out overnight for the daily batches of Wimbledon tickets on offer had reached 10,000 people by Monday morning.
鈥淲e are advising people if they haven鈥檛 already set off to travel, not to travel because the queue is effectively full,鈥� Bolton said. 鈥淏y comparison to last year, it is really busy.鈥�
later in the week.
Since Serena last won Wimbledon a decade ago, eight different women have won the title.
鈥淚t was needed a wee bit to kind of reinvent the women鈥檚 game,鈥� said Lauren Byrne, a 26-year-old spectator at Wimbledon from near Dublin. 鈥淪he鈥檚 definitely going to bring a bit more excitement back.鈥�
Added Byrne鈥檚 father, Anthony: 鈥淚t鈥檚 just great to see her. She still has the appetite, hasn鈥檛 she, to play at this level? 鈥� Age isn鈥檛 a barrier.鈥�
Gibran Chenia, a London resident who described himself as 鈥�50-plus,鈥� called Williams 鈥渁 legend.
鈥淎nd if she鈥檚 half as good as she was, she is going to be great for tennis,鈥� Chenia said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to have legends back.鈥�
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