Eastbourne braced for Williams' return

Sisters delighted to be returning to competition after long layoffs

EASTBOURNE, United Kingdom - Serena and Venus Williams make their long-awaited returns from lengthy injury absences at the Eastbourne grasscourt tournament from Monday in the last warm-up before Wimbledon.

Serena hasn't played since winning her fourth Wimbledon title 49 weeks ago, suffering a freak foot injury when she stepped on glass at a restaurant followed by a worrying February blood clot in her lungs which required surgery.