By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, March 3, 2016

Battling a bout with the flu and the major malaise that comes from falling in a Grand Slam final doesn't diminish Serena Williams' desire.

The world No. 1 returns to New York City next week for the BNP Paribas Showdown in her first appearance on court since falling to Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open final.

Watch: Serena Williams, Roger Federer at Oscars Party

While she's lacking match play, Serena is not short on confidence. Asked if she feels ready to go, Williams offered an ever-ready reply.

"I was ready to go in Australia and I'll be ready to go today and I'll be ready to go tomorrow and I'll definitely be ready to go on Tuesday," Williams said in a conference call with the media to promote the BNP Paribas Showdown. "There's nothing that can stop me right now besides me."

The 21-time Grand Slam champion returns Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden squaring off against good friend and former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki at the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden.

Williams, who withdrew from Dubai due to the flu, said she hasn't been training "too much" and is curious to see how she holds up physically in her exhibition comeback.

"I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to see how I'm feeling physically, which I've been doing pretty good," Williams said. "But also, Caroline and I always take exhibitions seriously because we want to have fun and give the crowd a great show. But at same time we want to give ourselves good training and good practice against ourselves. I think we're able to do that a lot.

"I haven't played a great deal, but I did pretty good in Australia and hopefully I can come back and do a little better."

The Williams-Wozniacki meeting is a 2014 US Open final rematch and the marquee match of an exhibition evening that launches with reigning Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka facing the flamboyant Gael Monfils, a long-time New York City fan favorite because of show-stopping shots like these.

"I think that's the most exciting thing about this showdown is just the fact you get to be in Madison Square Garden the world's most famous arena," Williams said. "Every time I have the opportunity to be there it's great. Also, I love playing in New York. It's just the place that players dream of being at all times."



Williams beat Wozniacki in the 2014 US Open final then shared the victory celebration with her friend. Serena has beaten Caroline in 10 of their 11 meetings. Sharing the challenges of life on the pro circuit is one reason why their friendship has survived such a highly-competitive environment.

"I think for us it's been because we're both really fun and we both really enjoy being around each other," Williams said. "We understand what it's like to be in a sport where you have to play at such a high level. It's rare you see that and to be able to experience that with someone and someone who understands the ups and downs and wins and losses. And someone who has been No. 1 and felt a lot of pressure is a great player as well, is a unique experience. And I think maybe that's why (our friendship is) genuine and why it's been able to last."

Since Serena's stunning 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, loss to 43rd-ranked spin doctor Roberta Vinci in the US Open semifinals last September, she's played one tournament.

Meanwhile, the Top 10 has shown signs of volatiliy with both Vinci and former junior world No. 1 Belinda Bencic cracking the Top 10 for the first time while former No. 1 Maria Sharapova continued her injury-plagued season pulling out of Indian Wells.

One of the game's great front-runners has sometimes felt the pressure looming from her pursuit of history. Serena needs one more major title to equal Steffi Graf's Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles. Her footwork and court positioning were not consistently sharp in her last two Grand Slam losses.

Williams, who celebrated recovery from the flu by attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party last Sunday night where she mingled with Roger Federer and Scandal star Kerry Washington, said she has watched the tape of her Australian Open loss and learned from it.

"Whenever I lose it definitely motivates me to do better. I learned a lot from that match," Williams said. "I feel like I can improve on and do a lot better. And hopefully I'll be able to achieve that."

The reigning Olympic gold medal singles champion says she will contest both singles and doubles, with sister Venus, at the Rio Olympic Games. Serena, who has played Hopman Cup with Jack Sock and John Isner in recent years, did not rule out giving mixed doubles a shot either.

"I have not considered mixed that much, but it's not something I would not do," Williams said. "Obviously, I would like to play the singles and play the doubles, so that kind of limits you. But it's definitely not impossible."