SERENA WILLIAMS thought she had put the lid on the prospect of a Wimbledon feud with Maria Sharapova when they held face-to-face talks at the pre-tournament party.

But Williams was driven to publicly repeat an apology she says was first given to the Russian and attempted to defuse their conflict, which became apparent after Sharapova, still incensed by words from the world number one in a magazine article, returned fire.

Williams, in a Rolling Stone magazine feature, was quoted as taking a swipe at a rival player while in conversation with sister Venus. Sharapova believed Williams was talking about her.

It was revealed the two most celebrated players in women’s tennis discussed the Rolling Stone article when attending recent WTA Tour party in Kensington.

“I made it a point to reach out to Maria. She was inadvertently brought into the situation by assumptions made by the (Rolling Stone) reporter,” Williams said.

“I personally talked to Maria at the player party. I said, ’Look, I want to personally apologise to you if you are offended by being brought into my situation. I want to take this moment to just pour myself, be open, say I’m very sorry for this whole situation’.”

The 31-year-old American starts her campaign on Tuesday against 92nd-ranked Mandy Minella, a 26-year-old from Luxembourg who will be making just her second Wimbledon appearance.

The tournament offers Williams the chance to land a sixth Wimbledon title, which would move her one ahead of Venus, who is absent due to a back injury.