After stepping back from tennis in 2022, Serena Williams is in discussions about a competitive return at Queen's Club in London next month—a potential doubles appearance at the grass court event that would mark her first match in four years.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has been cleared to return to the sport since February 22, having completed her six-month requalification in the drug testing pool. While nothing has been finalized, Williams is considering playing doubles at the WTA 500 event beginning June 8, with reports suggesting she would partner with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko. The tournament has two doubles wildcards available, and Williams would need one to compete.
Williams never used the word "retirement" to describe her 2022 departure, preferring to say she was "evolving away" from the sport. Her last competitive match was in September that year, when she lost to Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the US Open. It was a moment the tennis world thought would be her final one. Her last Grand Slam singles title came in Melbourne in 2017 at age 35, following a semifinal run at that year's Australian Open.
The timing of a Queen's return is particularly intriguing given that Wimbledon—where Williams has won seven singles and seven doubles titles—begins three weeks later. The grass court season has always been central to her legacy.
Her potential comeback comes after months of public health initiatives. Last year, Williams disclosed on the Today Show that she had lost 31 pounds over eight months, describing her weight as "an opponent" she needed to overcome. She spoke candidly about her intensive training regimen: "training five hours a day" with "running, walking, biking, stair climbing." She also noted her current fitness level, saying she was now training for a half-marathon and "running farther than I ever had."
While Williams did not specify which weight loss medication she was using, she had recently become a spokesperson for Ro, a company that sells GLP-1 brands like Wegovy and Zepbound through its weight loss programme. Her husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, is an investor in the company.
The Lawn Tennis Association has signaled openness to granting a wildcard in "exceptional circumstances." LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd said in April: "Never say never, and not wanting to speak of any one individual player, but you will have seen over recent years that those wildcard opportunities are afforded to British players." He noted that the organization typically prioritizes domestic talent but acknowledged that unique situations might warrant exceptions.
Performance director Michael Bourne added a practical note, suggesting that commercial value could influence decisions: "If we didn't think we had a depth of player where it was right for them to take those opportunities, and there was something else that was good for the business, we would hold our hands up."
Williams' potential return would be the latest chapter in a career that has defined women's tennis for nearly three decades. Her 23 Grand Slam singles titles remain the most won by any woman in the Open era and second-highest all-time behind Margaret Court's 24. Sister Venus, also a champion of the sport, continues to play on the WTA Tour.
For now, discussions continue, and Williams herself has remained measured about prospects. In a January Today Show appearance, she said simply: "I'm going to see what happens."