Serena Williams is reportedly closing in on a return to professional tennis for next month’s grand slam season.
The 44-year-old has not played since her third-round defeat at the 2022 US Open, a result that left her one title shy of the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles crowns. At the time, Williams made clear she was not “retiring”, saying instead that she was “evolving” away from the sport.
Since then, talk of a comeback has only grown. Williams re-entered the testing pool, fuelling suggestions a return was on the horizon, and she has continued to stir interest by sharing videos of herself training on court on social media.
Now, multiple reports claim she is preparing to return for the grass-court season and has requested a wildcard to play doubles at Queen’s.
The Served podcast, hosted by former world number one Andy Roddick, said on Thursday that Williams is expected to partner Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko at Queen’s in London, with the tournament beginning on June 8.
A return on grass would be fitting for Williams, who has enjoyed extraordinary success at Wimbledon. She has won the women’s singles title seven times, the women’s doubles title six times and the mixed doubles title once.
The speculation has quickly become one of the major talking points at the French Open, where Mboko was asked about the reported partnership.
“I think for me I want to kind of let the moment (be) for her,” Mboko told reporters after her third-round match.
“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.”
Coco Gauff also weighed in, saying she would welcome the chance to finally play Williams for the first time.
“I did say one of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her,” Gauff said.
“Everybody has been hearing rumours and stuff. So if they are true, I guess we’ll find out in a couple of days based off the rumours.
“We’ll see, but I think it would be cool for this sport to have a legend back playing.”
Another possibility is that Williams could return in doubles alongside her older sister Venus, either at a warm-up event or on tour.
Venus made her own comeback last July at age 45 after almost two years away from competition. At the US Open, she became the oldest player to contest singles at the tournament since 1981.
The sisters have already built one of the most successful doubles partnerships in tennis history, winning 14 grand slam doubles titles together. At last year’s DC Open, Venus said she hoped Serena would one day join her on court again.
