In 2022, Serena Williams, tennis dynamo and perhaps the greatest player of all time, announced her retirement. “There comes a time in life when we have to decide to move in a different direction," she wrote at the time. "That time is always hard when you love something so much. My goodness, do I enjoy tennis.” Soon after, she played her final U.S. Open. Williams then welcomed her second child, daughter Adira (2), the following year. In 2025, there was speculation that she was preparing for a comeback after appearing in the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) International Registered Testing Pool, which subjected her to random drug testing, among other stipulations. But she quickly squashed the rumors with a Tweet, writing, "Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy." Now, it seems Williams was just keeping things under wraps, because it's official. The G.O.A.T is back—and playing her first tournament next week.
It's Official: Serena Williams Is Back
And her first tournament is next week
Williams announced the news on Instagram with the above video and simple caption, "Good news travels fast." Multiple outlets, including ESPN, then confirmed that she was slated to play in the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club in London. In a press release issued by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), it was revealed that the tennis legend had been awarded a wild card (the tennis version of an invitation for unranked athletes) to play doubles. Her partner has yet to be announced.
"Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter," Williams said in a statement shared to the Club's X account. "Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages."
While it's major news for Williams, it's also a significant moment for the new generation of tennis players who have come up. Martina Navratilova, who previously held the title of oldest WTA World No.1 to launch a comeback, said in the WTA press release: "Serena brought the game to another level and it is incredible for the sport that she’s pushing the boundaries and coming back. To many of the younger players, they never had the opportunity to play her; some may have never watched her on television, so this will be a new and exciting experience."
