Williams Set for First Match in Nearly 4 Years

Serena Williams is preparing to make a surprising return to professional tennis, nearly four years after stepping away from the sport.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is scheduled to compete in the doubles event at next week’s HSBC Championships in London, according to an announcement shared by tournament organizers on Monday. The event, played on grass, serves as a warm-up tournament ahead of Wimbledon.

Tournament officials celebrated the news online, calling attention to Williams’ comeback with an enthusiastic social media post. The Women’s Tennis Association also welcomed her return, highlighting the impact of her legacy both on and beyond the court.

WTA chair Valerie Camillo praised Williams in a statement, describing her as one of the greatest athletes in history and saying her decision to compete again reflects her enduring love of the game. Camillo added that she looks forward to seeing Williams compete against a new generation of players.

Williams has not publicly confirmed the details herself, but she posted a cryptic video on social media that hinted at the announcement. In the clip, she is seen practicing on a tennis court while her phone rings repeatedly. The video closes with the message, “Guess everybody heard the news,” followed by Williams captioning the post, “Good news travels fast.”

Her appearance at the HSBC Championships would mark her first professional match since the 2022 U.S. Open, widely viewed as her farewell tournament.

Last December, Williams dismissed speculation about a comeback, posting online that she was not planning to return and joking about the persistence of the rumors.

When she stepped away from tennis in 2022, Williams avoided using the word “retirement.” In a personal essay for Vogue titled “The Hardest Thing,” she described her departure from the sport as an “evolution,” explaining that she was shifting her focus toward other priorities in life.

Since leaving the tour, Williams has expanded her family. She welcomed her second daughter, Adira, in 2023. She and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, also have an older daughter, Olympia.

The HSBC Championships begin on June 7, while Wimbledon is set to start on June 29. Tennis fans will now be watching closely to see Williams step back onto the court once again