Serena Williams: I needed time

Serena Williams. Pics/AFP

Serena Williams continues her long quest for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam when the COVID-19-delayed 2021 Australian Open begins on Monday, four years since her last major triumph in Melbourne.

It may be this season or never for Williams, who turns 40 in September and will have to conquer a field bursting with young talent headed by US Open champion Naomi Osaka, home favourite and World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty and defending champion Sofia Kenin.

Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty

The tournament was put back three weeks to allow all players to quarantine for 14 days, but a COVID-19 case at a hotel saw all play shelved Thursday in warm-up events with hundreds of players and officials ordered back into isolation for COVID-19 tests.

Williams, who will play second on Rod Laver Arena Monday against Germany's Laura Siegemund, says she has benefited from the delays, using them to recover fully from the nagging Achilles injury sustained during her run to the semi-finals at the US Open, which caused her to withdraw from Roland Garros.

"I needed time. I don't think I would have been here if it was during the regular season," she said. "I definitely was pushing the limits, but I'm here," assuring that a shoulder issue that caused her to pull out of the warm-up Yarra Valley Classic semi-finals would not be a problem. Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in January 2017, then revealed she had been pregnant with daughter Olympia.

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