Serena Williams’ Return to Competitive Tennis
Serena Williams is set to make a highly anticipated return to competitive tennis this month, marking her first professional match in nearly four years. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has accepted a wildcard invitation to play doubles at the Queen’s Club grasscourt tournament in London, as announced by the WTA Tour on Monday.
Williams shared a video on social media showing her walking off a tennis court while her phone buzzed with notifications. “Guess everybody heard the news,” she said, captioning the post with “Good news travels fast.” The 44-year-old, widely regarded as the greatest female tennis player of the Open Era, retired from professional tennis at the 2022 US Open after losing to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. She last won a Grand Slam singles title in 2017.
In a statement, Williams expressed her excitement about returning to the sport. “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” she said. “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.”
The WTA confirmed that Williams will compete “with a partner to be announced in due course.” According to multiple reports in British media, she is expected to team up with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, who has recently risen into the world’s top 10. Mboko has defeated several top 10 players, including Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, and Karolina Muchova, in the past six months.
With the Queen’s Club tournament scheduled for June 8 to 14, attention is now turning to whether Wimbledon, where Williams won seven singles titles, will also offer her a chance to compete at the All England Club when the grasscourt Grand Slam begins on June 29.
Valerie Camillo, chair of the women’s tennis body WTA, expressed her enthusiasm about Williams’ return. “Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court … I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players,” Camillo said. “We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this hugely exciting moment for women’s tennis.”
Martina Navratilova, the previous oldest former No.1 to launch a comeback at 43 years, 10 months, commented on Williams’ return. “Serena brought the game to another level, and it is incredible for the sport that she’s pushing the boundaries and coming back.” She added, “To many of the younger players, they never had the opportunity to play her; some may have never watched her on television, so this will be a new and exciting experience.”
Coco Gauff, the defending French Open champion, spoke about the significance of Williams’ return. “One of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her. It would be cool for this sport to have a legend back playing.”
