Deadline looms for Murray-Serena mixed doubles pairing

Serena Williams continued to tease the possibility of playing mixed doubles at Wimbledon with Andy Murray, suggesting she could do with the extra time on court.

The seven-time champion opened her singles campaign with a straight-sets victory over Giulia Gatto-Monticone, but all of the focus after the match was on her possible partnership with Murray.

Both Williams and Murray floated the idea ahead of the tournament but it has yet to be confirmed, with the clock ticking down to the entry deadline on Wednesday at 11am.

The 37-year-old has been battling knee problems for much of the last few months and wants to take time to decide – but she was in playful mood in her press conference.

"I'm just going to see how I feel today, then go from there," she said, refusing to confirm her intentions.

"I'm still kind of in the singles mode, trying to figure that part out. We'll see. I could use extra matches, though, so it could be something."

Asked for a percentage of how likely it is that she will team up with Murray, she replied: "I don't know. If you guys really want it, then maybe I'll do it.

"All right, done, just for you guys. Don't forget. If you guys want it."

Whether she does play with the two-time singles champion remains shrouded in doubt, but her admiration for Murray is clear.

The Scot has won favour from Williams in the past for speaking out on feminism and she was glowing in her praise for him.

"We're a lot alike on the court," she added. "I've always liked that about him. Talking about work ethic, his work ethic is just honestly off the charts.

"That's something I've always respected about him. His fitness, everything.

"To do what he's done in an era where there are so many other great male tennis players, so much competition, to rise above it, not many people have done it. He's actually one of the few.

"There are so many things to be admired. Above all, he really stands out, he really speaks up about women's issues, no matter what.

"You can tell he has a really strong woman in his life. I think above all that is just fantastic."