Serena Williams announced her return to professional tennis on Monday. The 44-year-old player accepted a wildcard invitation to compete in women’s doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London.
Williams last played at the 2022 US Open. She lost in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic and later spoke of evolving away from the sport. Nearly four years passed before she took steps toward a comeback. She entered the anti-doping testing pool six months ago, which made her eligible to compete again.
Reports indicated that Serena Williams will team up with Victoria Mboko in doubles. The 19-year-old Canadian player ranks ninth in the world in singles. Tournament officials have not yet confirmed the pairing, but sources close to the situation described it as likely.
The HSBC Championships, a WTA 500 event, runs from June 8 to June 14. Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, returns to her favored grass surface ahead of the Grand Slam. She won 23 Grand Slam singles titles during her career and earned more than 94 million dollars in prize money.
Tennis officials welcomed the news. The WTA confirmed that Williams returned to the stage. Nike also issued a statement that supported her decision.
Serena Williams shared a video teaser on social media. She expressed excitement about stepping back onto the court. “I’m back,” she indicated in the announcement materials.
Analysts noted that Williams focused on family and business ventures after 2022. Her return at age 44 generated widespread attention across the tennis world. She has not detailed plans beyond the Queen’s Club event, but observers speculated she might consider singles play at Wimbledon if the doubles run succeeds.
