{blackbabes} Serena, Venus Williams mum on when they'll return

WASHINGTON (AP)—Serena Williams sprinted along the baseline to smack a cross-court backhand winner, then pumped a fist—a familiar pose. And then she smiled. She didn't dare glare in the direction of her teenage opponents Thursday, students at the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center.

Yes, Williams did seem rather pleased to be on a tennis court, swinging her racket after months of various physical problems kept her away from her sport. On an adjacent court, her older sister Venus had a racket in hand, too, offering coaching tips and playing points against kids aged 7 to 17 during a 45-minute clinic to help celebrate the center's 10th anniversary.

What neither Williams was willing to do Thursday is tell the world when they will return to the tour. They both were ranked No. 1, own a combined 20 Grand Slam singles titles—13 for Serena, seven for Venus—and are among the most dynamic and attention-grabbing players in tennis history.

But Venus hasn't played since January because of a hip injury; Serena has been out since July after two foot operations, then blood clots in her lung.

"I'm feeling better. Just starting training. I'm a little later than I suspected and hoped," said Serena, who resumed practicing a little more than two weeks ago. "But it's going steady. Slow and steady, I think, always works out when it's a race."

Her last competitive match came when she won her fourth Wimbledon title last summer; she's missed the last two major championships.

The next Grand Slam tournament is the French Open, which starts May 22.

"It's a great event, and we definitely want to be there," Venus said. "We just take it week by week, evaluating, and the good part is we both get better every week."

Both sisters moved around the court without any visible hitches Thursday.

Their connection to the center dates to before the $5.1 million facility was built, when former D.C. first lady Cora Masters Barry, the center's CEO, spoke to the Williams' mother about plans for the center. Their older sister, Isha Price, is a member of the center's board.

"The center is so important, because for us, it brings us full circle, growing up in Compton, Calif. And coming back to here is similar, because we see young people who really are us," Venus said. "It's a great opportunity for us to just really stay grounded and continue to do what's important, which is to give back."

Standing nearby as Serena ran kids through drills, Barry said: "It just shows, first of all, that Venus and Serena get who these kids are, as it relates to their beginnings and where they came from. And the kids know that—they get the connection. The kids are pleased by it and inspired by it."

Price recalled accompanying her sisters—both under 10 years old at the time—on a trip to a California country club for a clinic run by Hall of Fame tennis player Billie Jean King.

"That was their example of how they could also help and effect kids, so any time they have an opportunity to do a clinic—it's one thing to hit with sponsors, and people who raise money. … You have to do the business side of it," Price said. "But this is what they're passionate about."

Wearing stretch pants with a green-and-white tie-dyed effect, and a warmup jacket with the same color scheme, Serena played more real points than her sister did Thursday, stretching for volleys and racing forward and back.

Venus, dressed all in black, spent more time passing along pointers, talking 1-on-1 with students and giving advice.

"She's not a yelling teacher," said 12-year-old Kayla Williams, who lives within walking distance of the center. "She's, like, a quiet teacher and … she actually shows you, instead of yelling at you and telling you."

And as excited as she was about the chance to share a court with Venus, Kayla did register one, tiny complaint: "I actually thought we were going to play a match."

She'll have to wait, along with everyone else, for Venus' next match.