Serena Williams makes candid admission as she makes winning return after 357 days

Serena Williams says she would be being 'dishonest' if she didn't admit she doubted if she'd ever return to the WTA Tour.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner played her first match for 357 days on Tuesday as she teamed up with world number three Ons Jabeur to secure a 2-6 6-3 13-11 doubles win over Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo at Eastbourne.

She has also accepted a singles wild card to play at Wimbledon next week as she looks to step up a return she worried may never happen.

Speaking on court after the match in Eastbourne, Williams said: "Did I ever doubt I would return? Absolutely, for sure.

"I would be dishonest if I said it wasn't and now my body feels great.

"I definitely felt good out there and I was talking with Ons in the first set saying 'we're not playing bad' because they were just playing really good in that first set.

"But obviously winning, getting more balls and playing a little bit more made us feel a lot better. It definitely felt reassuring.

"It has been clicking in practise and now it seems like it is clicking. It is doubles but it still means a lot to both of us to be in it."

Williams is 40-years-old now and will be unnseeded at Wimbledon, so she is understandably not looking too far ahead in terms of what she still has left in the tank.

"You know what I am literally taking it one day at a time. I really took my time with my hamstring injury so I am not making a ton of decisions after this.

"I did a lot of non-training in the beginning obviously and after I couldn't play New York I went cold turkey of not working out.

"It felt good but I always try to stay semi-fit because you never know when you are going to play Wimbledon.

"I love tennis and I love playing otherwise I wouldn't be here but I also love what I do off the court."