Serena Williams To 'Definitely' Feature In Rome Masters, French Open

Serena Williams is set to return to tennis action in the midst of the clay-court season as she will take part in the Rome Masters and the French Open next month.

Williams returned to competitive action early last month after a 14-month absence following her win in the Australian Open in January 2017. Becoming No. 1 in the women's rankings in the process, Williams would then take time off from the sport due to pregnancy. She later gave birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia in September before making her highly-anticipated return at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March.

Despite winning her first two matches, the American lost in the third round to her sister Venus before somewhat shockingly losing her opening round match at the Miami Open to Naomi Osaka.

But as she continues to ramp up her fitness after a long layoff, according to the New York Times, the 36-year-old is not certain whether she will participate in the Madrid Open which begins on May 5 but will "definitely" play at the Rome Masters and the French Open.

"I feel like since Miami, I’ve made a ton of progress, but who knows," Williams said, as per the New York Times. "I'll have to see when I get out there to play a match."

"I always have to be ready, but I have to be even more ready because who knows who I can play early, or first or second. So I really have to be super-super-ready, so that’s kind of what I’ve been working on," she said.

Her fitness level is now at "about 75 percent" of what it was during her win in the Australian Open, according to her fitness trainer Mackie Shilstone, as Williams reflected on how losing the weight she gained was "the biggest challenge" of her career.

"I never felt winded like that," Williams explained, referencing her early practice sessions. "And it felt like no matter what I do, the weight is taking forever to get off, and it was crazy. Finally I was able to get better, but it took forever."

The 23-time Grand Slam winner will enter the Rome Masters with a protected No. 1 ranking, which while guarantees her entry into tournaments, does not give her a protected seeding, therefore increasing the chances of her facing a higher-level opponent early on in the tournament.

With recent calls for female players to be protected if they have to take time away from the sport due to maternity leave, Williams is in agreement as she believes women should not have to wait until retirement to have children.

"I think it’s more of a protection for women to have a life," Williams added. "You shouldn’t have to wait to have a baby until you retire."

"If you want to have a baby and take a few months off or a year off and then come back, you shouldn’t have to be penalized for that. Pregnancy is not an injury," she said.

The Rome Masters will take place from May 13-20 with the French Open following it from May 28-June 10.