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Serena Williams Returns to Tennis, Commits to Australian Open
Serena Williams is about to be back on the court whooping asses and taking names.
The 36-year-old newlywed and mom will start with the Australian Open.
New mum Serena Williams has accepted a place at the Australian Open and is ‘anticipated to return’ to the tournament in January, less than five months after giving birth, organisers said Friday.
The defending women’s champion was among 98 of the 100 top women, and all of the men’s top 100, to be “confirmed” for the season’s opening Grand Slam, they said.
World number ones Simona Halep and 16-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will both be in Melbourne, but all eyes will be on Williams, who won this year’s tournament while pregnant.
Tournament director Craig Tiley said this week it was “highly likely” she will make her comeback at the opening Grand Slam of the season, and he repeated those sentiments Friday.
“Last year’s tournament broke all of the records and we look forward to welcoming back new mum Serena as she attempts to equal Margaret Court’s 24 Grand Slams,” he said in a statement.
“We are definitely a family-friendly event and many players including reigning champion Roger Federer travel with their children to Melbourne so we remain optimistic that she will return.”
Highly acclaimed and much-loved singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and South London native Jessica Wilde kicks of her 2024 by joining forces with the incredible Josh Barry for a soulful Valentine’s Day release ‘Love Like This’, out 14th February.
Packed with soaring emotions and infused with smoky orchestral atmospheres, ‘Love Like This’ is a striking nu-soul gem which will be released on Wilde’s forthcoming album and follows her recent singles ‘Freak Out’ and ‘Feathers’ ft. Zoe Kypri. The two 2023 singles saw her pick up many spins on BBC Radio 1’s Future Artists with Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1 Introducing with Jess Iszatt, John Kennedy’s X-Posure Daily on Radio X, playlist support across the board from Spotify, Apple, Youtube and Tidal amongst other acclaim. Josh Barry has also been picking up serious heat, recently featuring with Rudimental and Sigma, collaborating with Nile Rogers and opening for Rag ‘N’ Bone Man on tour. Josh Barry brings a dynamic force to the collab as he embodies the spirit of legendary icons like James Brown and Jimi Hendrix.
On ‘Love Like This’, Wilde explains, “When we got in the studio, the song basically wrote itself, we wanted to capture that raw soulful essence in our husky tones, and a nostalgic feeling of those classic Marvin Gaye love songs but with a 2024 flip.”
As the dreamy, smooth track escalates, Wilde and Barry’s yearning vocals entwine with epic effect as the pair find the ‘Love Like This’ that they have been searching and waiting for. The release comes with a Valentine’s launch show at the iconic ‘The Bedford’ and a 6-part Instagram & TikTok reel series, released every other day from 16th February, which everyone should tune into to see Wilde and Barry explore the track’s steamy and romantic themes in more depth through nostalgic aesthetics.
2024 looks set to be an exciting new year for Wilde. With her album on the horizon, she has been gaining growing support from not only BBC Radio 1 but also 6 Music, BBC Radio London, KISS, editorial playlist support across DSPs, as well as features in CLASH, Complex, Wonderland, The Independent and many more.
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