Tennis legend Serena Williams is set to make a sensational return to competitive tennis next week, nearly four years after announcing her retirement from the sport, thesun.co.uk reports.
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The 44-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in history, will return to court in the doubles event at the Queen’s Club Championships in South-West London.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, retired in September 2022 after her final appearance at the US Open. However, speculation over a possible comeback intensified recently after her name reappeared on the regular drug-testing list, although she denied at the time that she was planning to return.
Her comeback was confirmed on Monday afternoon, with the Lawn Tennis Association announcing that she had received a wildcard entry into the WTA event at Queen’s.
Williams is expected to partner Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko as she begins what could become a pathway back to Wimbledon.
Speaking ahead of her return, Williams said Queen’s Club was the right place to begin the next phase of her career.
“Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” she said.
“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.”
WTA Tournament Director, Laura Robson, described Williams’ return as a major moment for tennis and for the Queen’s event.
“Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen,” Robson said.
“And we’re delighted that she will be making her return to tennis at the LTA’s HSBC Championships.
“Women’s tennis made a historic return to The Queen’s Club last year, and now we have an icon of the game stepping back on to court at this prestigious venue.
“It’s very exciting for the tournament and the fans.”
Williams’ return could also open the door to a possible doubles partnership with her elder sister, Venus Williams, at Wimbledon or the US Open.
Venus, 45, played doubles at last year’s US Open with Canadian Leylah Fernandez, a development said to have encouraged Serena to consider a return to competitive action.
Serena has also remained in shape since leaving the tour, recently saying she lost 34 pounds in one year while using the weight-loss drug Zepbound.
Former world number one Andy Roddick had also tipped Williams to make a surprise return to Wimbledon singles competition during a podcast last month.
Williams enjoyed some of the biggest moments of her career on grass, winning seven Wimbledon singles titles. Her last triumph at the All England Club came in 2016.
She won 73 singles titles during her career and spent 319 weeks as the WTA World No. 1.
Her last singles match was at the 2022 US Open, where she lost 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 to Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round.
Earlier that year, she also suffered a first-round defeat at Wimbledon, losing 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 to France’s Harmony Tan.
Her return at Queen’s is expected to attract global attention, as fans wait to see whether the doubles comeback will lead to a fuller return at Wimbledon and beyond.
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