Tennis icon Serena Williams is officially returning to professional tennis nearly four years after her last competitive match.
Gatekeepers News reports that the 44-year-old announced on Monday that she has accepted a wild-card entry to compete in the doubles event at next week’s HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London, marking the beginning of her long-awaited comeback.
“Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” Williams said in a statement released by tournament organizers.
“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.”
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in tennis history, Williams boasts 23 Grand Slam singles titles — the most by any woman in the Open Era — alongside 73 career singles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and 319 weeks as world No. 1. She also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister, Venus Williams, and remains the only player to achieve a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.
The WTA confirmed her return on social media, describing it as Williams “officially returning to the stage.”
WTA Chair Valerie Camillo hailed the comeback as a significant moment for the sport.
“Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court,” Camillo said.
“Her return is an expression of her passion for competition, and I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players.
“Serena is not just a great champion. She’s a successful entrepreneur, a powerful advocate for the issues that matter — and one of the most iconic women in the world. We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this hugely exciting moment for women’s tennis.”
Williams, who has earned more than $94 million in career prize money, first teased the announcement through a social media video released by longtime sponsor Nike. Shortly afterward, the HSBC Championships posted a message declaring: “The Queen returns.”
Her comeback on grass courts has inevitably sparked speculation about a possible appearance at Wimbledon Championships, which begins on June 28. However, Williams has not yet revealed any additional tournaments she plans to enter.
The former world No. 1 stepped away from the sport in 2022, explaining in an essay for Vogue that she wanted to focus on growing her family. At the time, she deliberately avoided using the word “retire,” preferring instead to describe the next stage of her life as an “evolution.”
“One thing I’m not going to do is sugarcoat this,” Williams wrote then. “I know that a lot of people are excited about and look forward to retiring, and I really wish I felt that way.”
Rumours of a comeback intensified after Williams re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s anti-doping testing pool and later trained regularly with fellow American Alycia Parks.
“She is in great shape,” Parks said earlier this year. “So I think she would kill it on tour.”
Reports have suggested Williams could partner rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko in doubles at Queen’s Club, although tournament organizers have yet to officially confirm her partner.
Tennis great Martina Navratilova welcomed the news, saying Williams’ return would provide younger players with a rare opportunity.
“Serena brought the game to another level and it is incredible for the sport that she’s pushing the boundaries and coming back,” Navratilova said.
“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.”
Several current stars also expressed enthusiasm about the comeback.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka described Williams as “a legend,” adding: “I’m excited to see her play and probably face her. It’s very good news for tennis.”
American star Coco Gauff said, “One of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her. I think it would be cool for the sport to have a legend back playing.”
Former US Open champion Naomi Osaka also welcomed the development.
“That’s definitely something I would be really excited about,” Osaka said. “I think it’s really cool for tennis.”
Fellow American Madison Keys added: “Serena Williams playing tennis is only good for tennis. We all want to watch Serena play tennis. You literally get to watch history every single time she takes the court.”
Williams, who welcomed her second daughter, Adira, in 2023 with husband Alexis Ohanian, previously returned to competition after motherhood in pursuit of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title. Although she reached four major finals, she fell short of matching the mark held by Margaret Court.
Now, after years away from the game, Williams is preparing to begin another chapter in a career that has already redefined women’s tennis and inspired generations of athletes worldwide.
