The possibility of Serena Williams returning to professional tennis has once again captured global attention after fresh reports suggested the 23-time Grand Slam champion could make a surprise appearance during the upcoming grass-court season. While no official confirmation has been made, speculation intensified on Thursday after multiple reports claimed Williams had requested a wildcard entry for the doubles event at Queen’s Club Championships in London.
Adding further intrigue to the rumours, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, who is reportedly expected to partner Serena if the comeback materialises, chose to remain cautious while addressing the growing buzz during the French Open. “I think for me I want to kind of let the moment (be) for her,” Mboko told reporters after reaching the French Open third round. “I feel like if she’s ready to come back on her own terms, then I feel like it’s up to her to announce that. Other than that, I don’t really have much to say. I think the moment is all up to her, and when she’s ready to come back. Yeah, it’s up to her.”
The reports have sparked excitement across the tennis world, particularly because Williams has not played a professional match since her emotional third-round defeat at the 2022 US Open. That appearance was widely viewed as her farewell to the sport, although Serena herself never formally used the word retirement.
Instead, in a Vogue essay published before that tournament, Williams explained she was “evolving” away from tennis, leaving the door slightly open for a future return.
Now 44 years old, Serena remains one of the most influential athletes in sports history. Her 23 Grand Slam singles titles are the most in the Open Era and place her just one major behind Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24, a mark now jointly matched by Novak Djokovic in men’s tennis.
The latest comeback speculation gained traction after the Served podcast, hosted by former world No. 1 Andy Roddick, reported that Williams was preparing to compete in doubles at Queen’s alongside Mboko, one of Canada’s most promising young talents. The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 8 and forms part of the buildup to Wimbledon.
Although Serena has yet to publicly comment on the reports, fans have noted increasing signs of her reconnecting with the professional circuit over the past year. In 2025, she re-entered the sport’s anti-doping testing pool, a move that immediately fuelled speculation regarding a possible return. At the time, however, Williams attempted to dismiss the rumours through social media.
“Omg yall, I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.” Despite that statement, the tennis world has continued to monitor every development surrounding the American icon.
Current stars of the women’s game have openly embraced the possibility of Serena returning, with many acknowledging the impact her presence would have on the sport’s visibility and atmosphere.
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, who famously defeated Serena in the controversial 2018 US Open final, admitted she would eagerly tune in if Williams does return to competition. “I think it’s good for me. I’ll be very entertained,” said Osaka when asked if she would watch a comeback match from Serena.
“But I mean, overall the scope of it, I think it will bring people to watch tennis, which she always does bring an audience with her. So, yeah, I think it’s good. I’m going to be tuned into the first match, for sure. I think a lot of people are. I feel like for me, everyone knows Serena and Venus were my role models growing up, so it’s going to be cool to see her on the grounds again.”
The possibility of Serena facing today’s generation of stars has also created excitement among younger players who grew up idolising her dominance on tour. Reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff admitted she still regrets never having had the chance to play Serena competitively after breaking onto the WTA Tour in 2019.
“I did say one of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her,” said the reigning French Open champion. “Everybody has been hearing rumours and stuff. So, if they are true, I guess we’ll find out in a couple days based off the rumours. We’ll see, but I think it would be cool for this sport to have a legend back playing.”
Gauff has frequently credited Serena and Venus Williams as major inspirations behind her tennis journey. Like many American players of her generation, Gauff grew up watching the Williams sisters redefine women’s tennis through power, athleticism and unmatched mental strength.
Meanwhile, Serena’s older sister Venus Williams has already made a brief return to competition after stepping away from the tour for more than a year. Venus played at the 2025 US Open and the Australian Open earlier this season following a 16-month hiatus.
Speaking earlier this year, Venus admitted that Serena’s presence would make her own comeback experience even more special. “The only thing” that would have made returning better, Venus said, “would have been if Serena had also returned.”
The impact of Serena’s legacy extends far beyond active players. Teenage American prospect Iva Jovic, who reached the last 32 at Roland Garros for the first time this week, described the surreal feeling of potentially seeing Serena compete in person.
“It’s really cool. I have never seen Serena in real life,” said Jovic. “Obviously I grew up watching her. In my entire childhood she was dominating tennis, so it’s going to be incredible.”
Serena’s influence on women’s tennis remains unmatched in many ways. Over a career spanning nearly three decades, she transformed not only the standard of competition but also the global commercial appeal of women’s sport. Her success helped bring new audiences to tennis and inspired generations of athletes from diverse backgrounds around the world.
Beyond her achievements on court, Serena became a cultural icon whose influence crossed into fashion, business, activism and entertainment. Even after stepping away from competition, she has remained highly visible through entrepreneurial ventures and public appearances.
If the reports surrounding Queen’s prove accurate, the tournament could become one of the most anticipated events of the grass-court season. Whether Serena intends to compete regularly again or simply make a short-term return remains unclear.
For now, however, the tennis world waits for confirmation from the woman herself, with anticipation continuing to build around one of the sport’s greatest champions.
