Serena Williams, widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history, is set to return to competitive tennis after nearly four years away from the sport.
The 44-year-old American will feature in the women’s doubles event at Queen’s Club later this month after being handed a wildcard entry for the tournament, which begins on June 8. She is expected to partner Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko.
Williams stepped away from tennis in 2022 after a legendary career in which she won 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
Speculation about a possible comeback began last year when her name appeared on the list of players registered for the sport’s drug-testing pool. Although she initially denied any return, further rumours intensified after she was listed on the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) reinstatements list in February.
Confirming the news on social media, Williams shared a video of herself walking onto a tennis court with the caption: “Guess everybody heard the news”, alongside another post that read: “Good news travels fast.”
She also expressed excitement about returning at Queen’s Club, saying: “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter.
“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.”
Her return will mark her first competitive appearance in 196 weeks, since her final match at the 2022 US Open.
