The little yellow ball defined her. And controlled her.
For the better part of Serena Williams' life, everything revolved around tennis. It took an injury to change the way she looked at the sport, at herself and at life.
In the eight months since surgery to repair a partial tear of the quadriceps tendon of her left knee, Williams found a new perspective while sidelined from tennis. The period, she said, was liberating. She made a Nike commercial, had a minor acting role on Law & Order, hosted her first fashion show and did a voice-over for a SpongeBob SquarePants movie.
"I learned that tennis isn't No.1 in my life," Williams said. "There are other things that mean much more to me. My whole life has been pretty much playing tennis. I've been able to get my fashion line going in the right direction and I've been able to do a little more acting gigs that I wouldn't have been able to do."
She also dealt with the murder of half-sister Yetunde Price on Sept.14.
"It's been hard, I had several tough months," she said. "... We're all very close as a family and talk on a daily basis."
Williams, 22, insists tennis never was far from her mind, or her soul. She returns to action this week at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, an event she won the past two years, with a hunger to regain her form and role as the world's most feared player.
"I'm really, really excited about getting back," Williams said. "This is a relief almost. I never had this much time off. After a while, that gets old. I enjoyed doing a lot of stuff, but my true love always has been tennis. I'm so desperate to be on the court."
Her opponents, no doubt, have a different take.
Before the injury, Williams was the WTA Tour's clear-cut No.1 and had claimed five of six major championships, including four in a row at one point that she dubbed the "Serena Slam." She hit a bump in the clay at last year's French Open, losing to eventual champion Justine Henin-Hardenne in the semifinals. But Williams rebounded to defeat sister Venus for her second straight Wimbledon title.
She had been bothered by tendinitis off and on throughout the year. In July, the pain in her knee worsened and Williams withdrew from several events. She had surgery Aug.1. Initially, it was thought she would miss six to eight weeks, but doctors told her to take it slowly, Williams said. While out, she was unable to defend titles at last year's U.S. Open and this year's Australian Open. She also lost her spot at No.1, ending a 57-week reign.
Williams began practicing in November. She hoped to play the Australian Open, but doctors advised her not to, Williams said.
Williams scheduled her comeback for March1 at an event in Doha, Qatar. But a minor illness thwarted that attempt, so she focused on Miami.
In preparation for her return, Williams said she has played every day in recent weeks. Her knee feels great. Her fitness, she said, is fine. Williams admits to being nervous, but is upbeat about her comeback tour's first stop.
"For the most part, everything is looking good," she said. "It's hard when you've been off so long to put in the time, but I feel I'm at the point that I'm definitely ready, willing and able.
"I have an amazing hunger right now. Last July, I did as well, but now it's a totally different type of hunger."
