Serena Williams is set to return to professional tennis nearly four years after stepping away from the sport at the 2022 US Open.
The Women’s Tennis Association has confirmed that Williams will restart her career at next week’s HSBC Championships, a WTA 500 event at Queen’s Club in London.
Williams, now 44, has been awarded a wild card to play doubles, with her partner expected to be announced later.
Her return marks another chapter in one of tennis’ most decorated careers. Williams spent 319 weeks as world number one and won 73 singles titles, including 23 Grand Slam singles trophies, an Open Era record.
She also won 39 major titles overall and several Olympic medals, making her the only player to complete a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.
WTA Chair Valerie Camillo welcomed the return, describing Williams as one of the greatest athletes of all time whose influence stretches beyond tennis.
“Her return is an expression of her passion for competition, and I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players,” Camillo said.
Williams has spent recent years focusing on business and family. She is a mother of two daughters, Olympia and Adira, and has built a growing investment portfolio through Serena Ventures, a fund backing companies founded by women and people of colour.
Her return also places her among a select group of former world number ones who have resumed their tennis careers after giving birth. The list includes Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Naomi Osaka.
Tennis great Martina Navratilova said Williams’ comeback is a major moment for the sport.
“Serena brought the game to another level and it is incredible for the sport that she’s pushing the boundaries and coming back,” Navratilova said.
Williams last played at the 2022 US Open, where she lost in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic. She stepped away with an 858-156 career singles record and 367 Grand Slam match wins, the most by any player in the sport’s history.
Her last Grand Slam title came at the 2017 Australian Open, where she defeated her sister Venus Williams in the final while pregnant with Olympia.
Williams also enjoyed a dominant doubles career, most of it alongside Venus. The sisters won 14 Grand Slam doubles finals without defeat and also claimed Olympic doubles gold medals in 2000, 2008 and 2012.
