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Speculation about Serena Williams making a return to professional tennis continues to swirl nearly three years after she announced her departure from the sport. The legendary athlete, with 23 Grand Slam singles titles to her name, declared she was “evolving away” from tennis just before the 2022 US Open. Despite her absence from the court, Serena remains a significant figure in the realms of pop culture and business. Recent public remarks and appearances have fueled rumors that the former world No. 1 might not be done competing just yet. The conversation has gained momentum thanks to comments from her sister, Venus Williams, and Today show host Savannah Guthrie.
Is Serena Williams returning to tennis? Venus Williams weighed in
At the heart of the renewed buzz is Serena Williams’ decision last year to rejoin the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s anti-doping testing pool, completing the mandatory six-month “whereabouts” period. This step is crucial for any retired player contemplating a return to professional play, as it requires athletes to be available for random testing and to provide daily location updates. Serena’s reentry into the testing pool, as reported by CBS Sports, suggests she could be considering a competitive comeback.
Although Serena herself took to X to clarify that she has no plans to return, a recent dialogue with her sister, Venus Williams, has sparked further curiosity among fans. In a post on X, Venus was questioned about the possibility of a “sister reunion” in doubles tennis.
“Oh man, wouldn’t that be cool?” Venus responded, adding a note of skepticism by saying, “I never see her practicing, though.” She also mentioned that she’s unaware of where Serena might be training, as she hasn’t witnessed it firsthand.
Venus continued, “I think to come back, you have to get out there. So, we’ll see if she can put some work in. Of course, playing for exercise is nice. There are a lot of hours that go into it, so, we’ll see what happens.” Her comments leave fans wondering if Serena might indeed have a comeback up her sleeve.
Serena Williams previously clashed with Savannah Guthrie in a conversation regarding a comeback
Fans would love to see Serena Williams back on the court. Savannah Guthrie presented the question to Serena on the Today show in January 2026, and the two appeared to clash.
“I mean, really? Are you asking this on the Today show?” Serena answered.
“Is that a no?” Guthrie questioned.
“Is that a no?” Serena echoed with a laugh. “Now people on the set are laughing. This is distracting. You’re distracting us over there.”
Guthrie pointed out that Serena didn’t directly answer the question. To that, Serena noted that she’s “just having fun and enjoying” her life. When Guthrie once again pushed for a definitive yes or no, Serena still didn’t give one.
“That’s not a ‘yes’ or a ‘no,’” the tennis pro continued. “I don’t know. I’m just going to see what happens.”
Guthrie noted that this sounded like a “maybe,” and Serena corrected her, noting she’s still busy with her children and “housewife” duties.”
“Listen, I can’t discuss this,” Serena finally stated, laughing.
The tennis pro wants to ‘evolve’ rather than ‘retire’
Serena Williams won’t outright say that she’s retiring from tennis. Several years ago, she told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that she was using the word “evolve.”
“I think retirement is something that is super earned and that people work really hard for,” she said. “I just feel like I’m at an age where I definitely have a lot more to give, and there’s a lot more that I want to do, and so I’m not going to be relaxing — there’s so much more for me. I feel like it’s more of an evolution of Serena. There are so many things that I’ve been wanting to do for so many years, and I’ve had such a passion for tennis for so long that I’ve never done it. Now it’s time for me to start to enjoy those things.”
Fans will have to wait and see whether Serena hits the court once more in 2026.