Serena Williams announces tennis comeback at 44, set for doubles at Queen's Club with Canadian teen Victoria Mboko

The announcement

Serena Williams confirmed on Monday that she will return to competitive tennis at the age of 44, accepting a wildcard to play doubles at the HSBC Championships at London's Queen's Club next week. The tournament, a WTA 500 event that begins on 8 June, will see Williams partner with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko. Williams called the grass-court event "the perfect place to begin this next chapter" after a hiatus that stretched back to the 2022 US Open. Her re-entry into the International Tennis Integrity Agency's anti-doping testing pool in December had already ignited speculation of an impending comeback.

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.

Career and legacy

Williams stepped away from the tour in 2022 with 23 Grand Slam singles titles and 319 weeks at world No. 1, having amassed nearly $95 million in prize money. She never officially used the word 'retirement', instead describing her break as "evolving away" from the sport. Her return now makes her the tenth former women's No. 1 to come back after becoming a mother, and the oldest to attempt such a return. The WTA and former greats hailed the move as a landmark moment for the game.

Serena has taken this sport to a level never reached. It's incredible for tennis that she pushes the limits and comes back.

The new generation

Many of the current top players, including Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff, have never faced Williams in a competitive match. Navratilova noted that some younger players may never have even watched her on television, making her presence a fresh challenge. Commentator John McEnroe voiced cautious surprise but said the American legend would not return merely to participate.

I'm semi-shocked that she's decided to do this at her age after having two kids and what she's accomplished.

A wave of comebacks

Williams is not the only elite athlete extending her career. Her sister Venus Williams, 45, already returned to the tour in July 2025. Seven-times Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix plans a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Games at age 40, while ski racer Lindsey Vonn became the oldest downhill World Cup winner in December after knee-replacement surgery. Angelique Kerber, herself a three-time Grand Slam champion, said she would follow the return closely.

It's madness. But when she does something, she does it with conviction.

Looking ahead

The Queen's Club appearance is widely seen as a warm-up for Wimbledon, which starts on 30 June. Williams has not committed to a singles schedule, but organisers will monitor her performance with an eye on possible wildcards for the summer's biggest events. WTA chair Valerie Camillo said the tour was thrilled to welcome back an athlete whose influence stretches beyond the court.

We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this hugely exciting moment for women's tennis.