US tennis great Serena Williams confirmed on Monday that she will return to the sport, after it was revealed that she will compete in doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club next week.
“Looks like everyone has heard the news,” he wrote in an Instagram video post, which showed him walking onto the court with a racket in hand.
Williams won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017. She has not competed in tennis since the 2022 US Open. Since then, she has given birth to two daughters.
The tennis legend never actually used the word ‘retirement’ when stepping away from tennis, instead saying she would “evolve away” from the sport.
Speculation about Williams’ return to tennis was fueled by her reentry into an anti-doping program in December, which is a prerequisite to playing on the tour again.
“Queens Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” Williams said in the statement.
“Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career and I’m excited to compete again on one of the sport’s most prestigious stages,” he said.
‘Exciting moment’ for women’s tennis
Williams walked off the court with 23 Grand Slams, earned approximately $95 million (€81 million) in prize money and is considered the highest-paid female athlete of all time.
Since then, he has focused on entrepreneurial projects through his venture capital fund Serena Ventures, which has stakes in several sports teams.
The Lawn Tennis Association and tournament director Laura Robson celebrated Williams’ return to the court.
“Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen and we are delighted that she will return to tennis at the LTA’s HSBC Championships,” Robson said.
“Women’s tennis made a historic return to The Queen’s Club last year and now we have an icon of the game returning to the court at this iconic venue – it’s very exciting for the tournament and the fans,” he said.
Valerie Camillo, president of the women’s tennis body WTA, said the tour is thrilled to have them back.
Camilo said, “Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all time, whose legacy extends far beyond the court… I can’t wait to see her face a new generation of top players.”
“We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this very exciting moment for women’s tennis,” he said.
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Edited by: Roshni Majumdar