Serena Williams back in gym, eyes Australian Open comeback

With an aim to make a return to the tennis court by the next year's Australian Open, former world number one and new mom Serena Williams has begun her preparation by hitting the gym.

In order to regain her form slightly ahead of the first major of the season, the American tennis player is back in gym with a bang, revealed her physical therapist, Ruben Mateu.

"Serena is already training in the gym to regain form slightly," news.com.au quoted Mateu, as saying.

In September, Serena had revealed that she had set an 'outrageous' goal for making a comeback at the Australian Open, something which will push her Grand Slam total to an all-time record-tying 24 titles.

Williams, who won this year's Grand Slam title at the Melbourne Park, while she was pregnant, is hoping to make a return just four-and-a-half months after giving birth to her baby girl Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.

And Mateu, who has been part of Williams' team for a year, will fly to Palm Beach, Florida, in the coming days to contribute to the new mom's recovery.

He, however, admitted that he is not worried about Williams' prospects, knowing the kind of a person she is.

"When someone's muscles are so well-developed, it is easier for them to recover because muscles have a memory. It is easier to achieve results with that kind of person.The capacity for recovery will be faster for Serena than for any other sportswoman at her level," Mateu said.

Serena' baby girl, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, arrived on September 1 at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, weighing in at 6 lbs., 13 oz.