Williams is 'Ronaldinho-like' - but can she win Grand Slam matches?

Serena Williams' comeback at Wimbledon didn't end the way she would have wanted, or the way many of us hoped it might.

But for me, there were still plenty of positives to take away.

If Serena decides to play the US Open next month, as I hope she will, then I think her first singles match since 2022 showed more than enough to suggest she can win matches on the WTA Tour and at Flushing Meadows over the coming weeks.

Although she lost to Australia's Maya Joint at Wimbledon - where she picked up a knee injury that denied her a doubles appearance with her sister Venus - I actually thought she played well enough to leave us wondering if there's more to the comeback.

Watching Serena reminded me of seeing a legendary footballer like Ronaldinho. The movement might not be quite what it once was, but the talent and natural skill is unmistakable.

Elite talent doesn't simply disappear, and Serena's timing and shot-making remain exceptional.

She's spoken openly about coming back to play for her family, but Serena is a fierce competitor.

I can't imagine she would keep playing simply for appearances if her body isn't allowing her to compete or if the results aren't there. That's not how she's built.

I think the North American hard-court season is going to give a clearer indication of where she stands physically, just in terms of the conditions they play in.

Events such as Washington or Cincinnati are incredibly hot and incredibly humid. The US Open can be the same as well.

Does the knee set her plans back?

Serena has kept her cards so close to her chest in terms of what her plans are, so this is assuming that she does want to play in the States.

If that is something that she wants to do, the fitness will start to return naturally as you get back into training with the hours that you're putting in.

Of course, we don't know exactly what the knee injury is yet or whether it is going to impact her plans.

But she'll likely to need to take some time out - at least for a few more days - and allow the swelling to subside.

Presuming she's fit enough to play soon I'd expect she would like at least one tournament before New York and have a little more time out on the match court to get those feet moving.

A few more competitive matches could make a significant difference.

Serena hasn't played tennis for four years so she isn't physically where she was when she last played Wimbledon in 2022.

But what stood out for me was her ball-striking. That, and the natural timing, was excellent against Joint.

I don't think that can be taught. It feels like it's a God-given talent rather than simply having spent thousands of hours on the courts from a young age.

She wasn't where she was in the past but I don't think anyone expected her to be.

The footwork and fitness predictably needs improvement if she is going to win matches in the future.

Her court positioning was also interesting. She spent much of the match working through the middle of the court, rather than opening up wider angles.

It was a stark comparison to when she last played at Wimbledon in 2022 - a first-round defeat by Harmony Tan.

That may have been a tactical choice, or it may simply reflect a player who isn't yet completely confident in her movement. Either way, it's something that could change with more match practice.

Another telling statistic was that her serve has barely dropped in terms of speed. That's stayed up right up there from 2016, when she won the last of her seven Wimbledon singles titles.

The serve will never leave her. Watching her on the practice courts, and even in the warm-up, there was something so nostalgic about the Serena Williams serve.

It was the same during the match against Joint. It has to be one the cleanest serving techniques in tennis history. It's a thing of beauty.

The groundstrokes have dropped off a tiny bit, but only by four or five miles an hour, so it's not very much at all. They're still right up there.

It will again be interesting to see when she gets more matches under her belt if she's playing closer to the lines as she grows with confidence.

I've not heard a single person say Serena should not have been given a wildcard and I think she showed a good enough level to justify it.

If you could pick someone in the draw to beat, nobody is looking at Serena and saying 'she's the sure thing to beat'.

Seeing Serena on court in New York - and potentially with Venus in the doubles - would be so special.

But I think there is surely more to this comeback than just this summer.

I hope the end goal is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where they grew up.

That would be the fairytale finish to the careers - if Serena's body allows it.

Naomi Broady was speaking to BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko at Wimbledon.