Serena Williams fit for US Open after recovering from a virus

Serena Williams will be fit to defend her US Open title after recovering from the virus which ended her Wimbledon.

The world number one, 32, was forced to pull out of her doubles match with sister Venus earlier this month after struggling to serve.

But she makes her return at the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford University on Wednesday and will be ready for the US Open when it starts on 25 August.

She said: "I feel very good. I feel very happy to be here, so it's good."

Williams was beaten in the third round of the singles at Wimbledon by France's Alize Cornet, before retiring from the doubles a few days later.

She struggled in the warm-up and needed treatment from the doctor before serving four straight double faults in the third game.

"They just said I was really ill, and really under the weather and I just wasn't doing very well," Williams said.

"I was really scared after because I didn't realize how I felt until later and it's just, you know, 'Serena, keep your time, you will have the rest of your life to keep playing tennis hopefully.'

"I didn't leave my house or my bed for a few days."

Williams, who has won at least two majors in four of the past five years, has not won one this season.

She made a fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, was beaten in the second round of the French Open and lost to Cornet in the third round at Wimbledon.

She has won the US Open on five occasions, including the last two.