Serena Williams has been declared eligible to return to professional tennis from 22 February by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the sport's drug-testing body. However, it remains unclear whether the 23-time Grand Slam champion will make a comeback to the women's tour.
The 44-year-old first fuelled speculation late last year by rejoining the anti-doping testing pool, but she later denied this signalled a return. Last month, she reignited rumours by deflecting questions on NBC's 'Today' show. Williams has not competed since the 2022 US Open, and her last Grand Slam singles title was in 2017.
If she does return, the first tournament she could enter is Indian Wells in March. In December, Williams shut down reports on X, posting, “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.” Yet, when pressed on the 'Today' show, she refused to rule out a comeback, saying, “I'm just having fun and enjoying my life right now. That's not a yes or no. I don't know. I'm just gonna see what happens.”
Williams also addressed speculation about re-entering the drug testing pool, replying, “Did I re-enter? I don't know if I was out. Listen, I can't discuss this.” She could have been inspired by her older sister Venus Williams, who at 45 became the oldest woman to compete at the Australian Open this month, falling in the first round.
