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Willis quit the game a few months before playing 20-time major champion Federer. He resigned in 2018 due to injuries and the toll they were taking on his mental health.
In 2020, he worked for his cousin’s bricklaying business to earn money during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It was nice, it was freeing. Some of the conversations were interesting,” Willis recalls.
“What I loved about it was that whenever the clock struck 12 o’clock or 12:30, you stopped for tea and your lunch. It was religious. They stopped on the dot.
“It was an incredible experience. But you don’t want me trying to build your house, let’s put it this way. I was just trying to make some money and spend time with my cousin.”
A few years later, Willis returned to the court. He was playing exhibition events when a family friend offered money for a professional comeback.
“People say ‘you’re still good’, but you know the reality of being a player,” Willis said.
“It’s not just about getting better. It’s about being injury-free, it’s about traveling the world, not seeing your kids grow up properly. That’s what people sometimes don’t understand.
“I didn’t think about it. I went home and saw my wife (Jenny) – she was more interested than I was at the time.
“He said go and do it, you’ll get a chance. And now here I am.”
