The anticipation surrounding Serena Williams’ return to professional tennis continues to grow after the American legend confirmed another stop on her comeback journey. Just days after announcing her return to competitive action at London’s Queen’s Club, Williams has added the Berlin Tennis Open to her grass court schedule, signaling her intent to build valuable match fitness ahead of Wimbledon.
The 44 year old tennis icon will compete in the women’s doubles event at the Berlin Tennis Open, which begins on June 15 in Germany. Tournament organizers confirmed her participation on Friday, making Berlin the second tournament on Williams’ comeback calendar after nearly four years away from professional competition. Her doubles partner for the event is yet to be announced.
“Every tournament I add to my schedule right now is special, and Berlin is no exception,” Williams, 44, said in a statement. “I look forward to playing in front of the German crowd and continuing to build momentum for the grass-court season.”
The announcement comes shortly after Williams revealed she would return to the WTA Tour at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London, where she will partner rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko in the doubles draw. Queen’s Club marks Williams’ first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open, where she played what was widely believed to be the final match of her illustrious career.
At the time, Williams had spoken about “evolving away” from tennis rather than formally retiring, leaving the door slightly open for a future return. Speculation intensified last year when she re-entered the sport’s anti-doping testing program, a requirement for players seeking to compete professionally. Her return was officially confirmed earlier this month, sending excitement throughout the tennis world.
Williams remains one of the most accomplished athletes in sporting history. The former world No. 1 owns 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in the Open Era, and spent 319 weeks atop the WTA rankings. She also captured 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles alongside her sister, Venus Williams, while helping redefine women’s tennis through her dominance, athleticism, and longevity.
The Berlin Tennis Open has become one of the most prestigious grass court events on the WTA calendar and serves as a key preparation tournament for Wimbledon. This year’s field is expected to be particularly strong, with nine of the world’s top 10 ranked players scheduled to compete. The tournament provides an ideal opportunity for Williams to test herself against elite opposition and continue adjusting to the demands of professional competition.
Although Williams has not committed to a singles comeback, her decision to enter consecutive grass court tournaments has inevitably fueled speculation about a possible Wimbledon appearance. The seven time Wimbledon singles champion remains one of the most successful players in the tournament’s history and has repeatedly spoken about her love for competing on grass courts.
Speaking ahead of her return, Williams emphasized that she is not placing pressure on herself to chase titles or rankings. Instead, she has described this chapter as an opportunity to enjoy competing again and share the experience with her family, particularly her children, who have never seen her compete regularly on tour.
Following Berlin, Williams is also expected to have opportunities to compete at additional grass court events, including Bad Homburg and Eastbourne, before Wimbledon begins on June 29. Whether her comeback remains focused on doubles or eventually expands to singles competition remains one of the biggest talking points in tennis.
For now, however, fans across the world can look forward to seeing one of the sport’s greatest champions back on court. With Queen’s Club and Berlin now part of her schedule, Serena Williams’ long awaited return is no longer just a possibility. It is officially underway.
