Serena Williams has reversed her retirement at age 44 to enter the women's singles draw at Wimbledon, the stage where she won eight of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles. After four years away from professional tennis, the American legend accepted a wildcard entry, citing family support as a key factor.
Family Motivation Behind the Comeback
Williams quipped that her return was partly because "it's summer" and "the kids aren't in school," hinting that her daughters, Alexis Olympia (8) and Adira River (almost 3), would otherwise keep her busy. Former men's professional Christopher Eubanks told The Associated Press: "This is about more than just records. At this point, it's more about family. Not just playing in front of her daughters, but having her daughters sit there and watch her train every day... For her daughters to have to watch her be super disciplined, that has to be just as much of a factor."
Williams has already played two doubles warm-up matches with sister Venus before accepting wildcards for both singles and doubles at Wimbledon, which starts Monday.
Net Worth and Business Ventures
Williams ranks among the wealthiest female athletes ever, with career prize money of $95 million (£71.9m). Endorsements from Nike, Gatorade, and Wilson, plus investments, have pushed her net worth to approximately $350 million (£264.8m) in 2026, according to Forbes—a $50 million increase from the prior year. She founded Serena Ventures in 2022 to support women- and minority-led businesses.
She is part of the ownership group of WNBA expansion team Toronto Tempo (founded 2026) and holds minority stakes in the UFC and Miami Dolphins NFL franchise.
Husband Alexis Ohanian
Williams married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in 2017. Ohanian, 43, is a tech entrepreneur and investor in women's sports, including a stake in Chelsea Women's team (acquired May 2025) and a role in expanding the NWSL. His background includes co-founding Reddit, sold to Condé Nast in 2006 for an estimated $10–20 million.
The couple's first daughter, Alexis Olympia, was born in 2017—Williams won the Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant. Ohanian revealed she "nearly died" during childbirth. Their second daughter, Adira River, is almost three.
Return to Wimbledon
Williams's career includes 319 weeks as world No. 1, 73 singles titles, 23 doubles titles, two mixed doubles Grand Slams, four Olympic golds, and a career Golden Slam. After four years away, she returns as a wildcard, with her daughters expected to watch from the stands.
