Retired Tennis Star Keeps Door Open on Shock Return
A popular name in the field of tennis who retired not too long ago has refused to rule out a return to professional tennis, reigniting speculation after her name reappeared on official anti-doping documentation.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion retired following the 2022 US Open, but recent developments suggest the story may not be over yet.
In December, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed to BBC Sport that the 44-year-old American, Serena Williams was back on the list of players registered for the drug testing pool. At the time, Williams insisted she was “not coming back”, attempting to cool rumours of a comeback.
However, speaking on the Today Show, Williams struck a more ambiguous tone.
“I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens,” she said, when asked about the possibility of returning to competition.
Pressed further by interviewer Savannah Guthrie—who suggested her response sounded like a “maybe”—Williams replied firmly: “It’s not a maybe,” without fully clarifying her intentions.
Now a mother of two, Williams joked that she recently listed her occupation as “stay-at-home mum and housewife” on a form. When questioned about re-entering the drug testing pool, she declined to give details, saying:
“I don’t know if I was out… I can’t discuss this.”
Under ITIA rules, players must spend at least six months in the testing pool before becoming eligible to return to competition.