Tennis icon Serena Williams is officially returning to professional tennis, nearly four years after stepping away from the sport she dominated for more than two decades.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion confirmed on June 1 that she will make her competitive return at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London later this month. Williams is expected to compete in the women’s doubles event alongside 19-year-old Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko.
Williams, now 44, originally announced in 2022 that she was “evolving away from tennis” rather than retiring. At the time, she told Vogue, “I have never liked the word retirement.” While many believed her appearance at the 2022 U.S. Open marked the end of her legendary career, the tennis superstar never completely ruled out a future return.
The Queen’s Club Championships officially announced Williams’ comeback on social media, generating excitement throughout the sports world. The prestigious grass-court tournament serves as a major warm-up event for Wimbledon and marks Williams’ first competitive appearance in nearly three years.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in sports history, Williams leaves behind a resume few can match. During her remarkable 27-year professional career, she captured 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 women’s doubles titles, and two mixed doubles championships. Her 23 major singles titles remain the most by any woman in the Open Era and place her just one behind Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24.
Williams revealed the news through a Nike advertisement that featured her back on the tennis court while her phone buzzed with messages and calls. The announcement quickly became one of the biggest stories in sports, with fans eager to see whether the tennis legend can once again compete at the highest level.
Since stepping away from professional tennis, Williams has remained busy as a businesswoman, investor, producer, and mother. Alongside raising her two daughters with husband Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, she has expanded her influence beyond sports into entertainment and entrepreneurship.
Her post-tennis career has included executive producing several projects, including the acclaimed 2021 film “King Richard,” which chronicled the story of her father, Richard Williams. The film earned six Academy Award nominations and won Best Actor for Will Smith. Williams has also served as an executive producer for the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel “Carrie Soto Is Back.”
Beyond producing, Williams has accumulated more than two dozen acting credits, appearing in popular television series such as “Law & Order: SVU,” “ER,” and “My Wife and Kids.” She also hosted the 2024 ESPY Awards and has remained a prominent figure across sports and entertainment.
Her sister, fellow tennis champion Venus Williams, expressed confidence in Serena’s return during an appearance on TNT Sports.
“She’s very tenacious,” Venus said. “I’m not worried about how she’s gonna play.”
Whether this marks a brief return or the beginning of another chapter in one of sports’ most celebrated careers, Serena Williams has once again captured the world’s attention. One thing is certain: the tennis legend isn’t finished yet.
Congratulations to Serena Williams, and welcome back to professional tennis.
