Serena Williams to Return at Queen's Club Doubles After Nearly Four Years
Serena Williams, holder of 23 Grand Slam singles titles—the most by any woman in the Open era—will make her competitive return in the women's doubles event at Queen's Club later this month.
Williams, aged 44, has received a wildcard entry for the tournament commencing on 8 June and will partner with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko.
The American athlete "evolved away" from tennis in 2022 after a 27-year career highlighted by 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
Speculation about her return began last year when her name appeared on the registered players list for the drug-testing pool. Williams initially denied plans to return, but interest intensified when she was listed on the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) reinstatements list in February.
On Monday, Williams posted a video on social media showing her walking onto a tennis court, captioned:
"Guess everybody heard the news"along with a post stating:
"Good news travels fast."
Williams commented,
"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."
This appearance at the WTA 500 event in London will occur 196 weeks after her last competitive match at the 2022 US Open.
Her partner, 19-year-old Victoria Mboko, is considered one of the most promising talents in women's tennis and is ranked ninth globally in singles.
Following her second-round match at the French Open last week, Mboko described Williams as her "idol." Mboko was eliminated in the third round at Roland Garros on Saturday by former Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
Wimbledon, where Williams has secured seven singles and seven doubles titles, is scheduled to begin three weeks after Queen's. Participation there would require a wildcard, but the prospect of Williams competing again on the SW19 grass courts is highly anticipated by organizers.
Williams' Grand Slam Legacy and Career Achievements
Williams' 23 Grand Slam singles titles rank highest among women in the Open era and second overall behind Margaret Court's 24.
She held the world No. 1 ranking for 319 weeks and amassed 73 singles titles on the WTA Tour.
In doubles, she won 14 Grand Slam titles partnering with her sister Venus Williams, with the pair undefeated in major finals. Additionally, she earned three Olympic doubles gold medals and one individual gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Williams achieved a career 'Golden Slam' in both singles and doubles, winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold, and secured each singles major at least three times.
After returning from maternity leave in 2018 following the birth of her first daughter, Williams reached four major finals and re-entered the world's top 10 rankings.
Regarding a potential singles return at Wimbledon, three-time champion John McEnroe told TNT Sports,
"That would seem to be the logical next step. If Serena Williams is the greatest of all time and is coming back, she's not coming back as she's happy to play - she wants to win another major - that's the only reason I can think that she would want to play tennis again."
Williams won seven singles titles at Wimbledon, the most recent in 2016.
Williams' Impact and Recent Life
As the highest-earning female athlete in history, Williams attracted large audiences throughout her career and has been a transcendent figure in tennis.
Known for arguably the best serve in women's tennis, she combined powerful groundstrokes, a strong return of serve, and excellent movement.
Since retiring, Williams has largely stayed away from professional tennis and gave birth to her second daughter in 2023.
Last year, she discussed on the Today Show in the US her weight loss journey, having lost 31lb (14kg) over eight months.
She described her extra weight as "an opponent" and despite "training five hours a day" with activities including running, walking, biking, and stair climbing, she felt compelled to "try something different." Williams did not specify the weight loss drug she was using but had recently become a spokesperson for Ro, a company that markets GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound (known as Mounjaro in the UK) through its weight-loss program. Her husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, is also an investor in the company.
Williams noted she was benefiting from her gym work, training for a half-marathon and "running farther than I ever had."
Uncertain Motivation Behind Williams' Return
Williams was among many sports celebrities attending this year's Met Gala in New York last month.
The reasons motivating Williams' return remain unclear.
It is uncertain whether she aims to share the doubles court once more with her sister Venus, who will turn 46 on 17 June, or if her competitive drive remains strong and she believes she can still compete successfully against the new generation of players.
Wimbledon begins at the end of June, and while Williams' participation is anticipated, there is no definitive information indicating she will compete in singles.
The US Open starts two months later, in late August, and by then Williams may find a singles comeback irresistible.
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