SERENA WILLIAMS NOT SAYING NO TO MAKING A SURPRISE COMEBACK
Serena Williams has not ruled out making an unexpected comeback to the game of tennis.
Since losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 US Open, the 44-year-old has not played professional tennis; nonetheless, she described her exit as "evolving away" from the sport rather than a retirement. Despite re-entering the sport's drug testing pool, Williams dispelled rumours in December that she was thinking about making a comeback.
In an appearance on The Today Show in the United States, however, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion was less contemptuous of the question: "Really, are you asking this on the Today Show? When it was suggested that Williams might play again, she exclaimed, "Oh, my goodness."
"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. I have two kids. I'm a full-time stay-at-home mother. When I filled out a form the other day. Occupation? I wrote Housewife."
Williams responded, "Did I re-enter?" when asked if she had re-entered the drug testing pool. I'm not sure if I was out. I can't talk about this, listen."
"I heard that she's enjoying her life and, whatever makes her happy, I'm happy for her," said world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, welcoming the prospect of a Williams comeback. "If she wants to come back, that's her decision." It's going to be fantastic to see her back on tour. She has a personality and is entertaining. It will be awesome. After registering with the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), the sport's drug-testing organisation, in December, Williams put an end to rumours that she was returning to tennis.
If an athlete chooses to resume testing, they must specify when and where they are available to produce samples.
Before they may resume competing, they must also finish testing for a period of six months. Venus, Williams' older sister, never declared her retirement and returned to the tennis circuit in July at the age of 45 after a nearly two-year hiatus.
Venus made history at the US Open by being the oldest player to compete in singles at a Grand Slam event since 1981. Seven-time major singles winner Venus has previously expressed her desire for Serena to return to the tour with her. They collected 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a partnership.
Williams, who played her first professional tennis match in 1995, acknowledged that having a second child was a big factor in her initial decision to retire three years ago.
After giving birth to her first child, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., about six years prior with husband Alexis Ohanian, she gave birth to her second daughter, Adira River Ohanian, in August 2023. When Williams won the 2017 Australian Open, she was just one Grand Slam singles victory behind Margaret Court's all-time record. Williams was also in the early stages of her pregnancy with Olympia.
After returning from maternity leave, she advanced to four more finals, two at the US Open and two at Wimbledon, but lost in straight sets each time.
When Williams announced her intention to retire from tennis in 2022, she told Vogue, "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want [Court's] record." Williams won her first major victory in 1999 at the US Open when she was just 17 years old. In my opinion, I ought to have won more than thirty Grand Slams. After returning from delivering delivery, I had my opportunities.
"Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I didn't turn up as I could have or should have. However, it's okay that I turned up 23 times. It's very remarkable.