The 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams, has confirmed her return to professional tennis after nearly four years away from competition, marking a major comeback to the sport she last played at the 2022 US Open.
Williams has not featured on the tour since her third-round defeat to Ajla Tomljanović at the 2022 US Open. At the time, she described her exit not as retirement but as “evolving away” from tennis.
The American icon is set to re-enter competition in doubles, with her comeback scheduled to begin on grass as she builds toward the Wimbledon Championships.
She has accepted a wildcard to compete at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, also branded as the HSBC Championships, which begins June 8, 2026, just one day after the French Open concludes.
She is expected to team up with 19-year-old Canadian talent Victoria Mboko for the doubles event. Speaking ahead of her return, Williams said, “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” said Serena.
“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.”
Tournament director Laura Robson praised the announcement, saying, “Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, and we’re delighted that she will be making her return to tennis at the LTA’s HSBC Championships.”
Looking ahead, Wimbledon Championships begins on June 29, and Williams could potentially receive a wildcard entry, though it remains unclear whether she intends to focus solely on doubles or also pursue a singles return.
Her sister, Venus Williams, also recently returned to the tour in July at age 45 after a lengthy absence, having likewise never formally announced retirement.
Williams last captured a Grand Slam singles title at the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant with her daughter Olympia, moving within one major of Margaret Court’s all-time record.
After returning from maternity leave, she reached four more major finals, two at Wimbledon and two at the US Open, but was unable to add to her tally, falling in straight sets in each.
