Serena Williams Announces Tennis Comeback at 44, Set to Play in Berlin
London/Berlin, June 1, 2026 – Tennis icon Serena Williams has announced her return to professional tennis, approximately four years after her retirement. The 23-time Grand Slam winner from the USA will receive a wildcard for the WTA tournament next week in London, where she will compete in doubles, as announced by the organizers. Williams, aged 44, is also reportedly planning to play in Berlin the following week.
The news was met with excitement, with a post on social media proclaiming, “The Queen returns.” Williams herself expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “The Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to start this next chapter. I have experienced some of the most significant moments of my career on grass, and I look forward to competing again on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.”
A Return to the Court: London and Berlin as Preparation
Williams simultaneously released a video showing her on a tennis court, picking up her phone, accompanied by the comment: “I guess you all have already heard the news.” In London, Williams is scheduled to play alongside Canadian Victoria Mboko.
According to dpa information, Williams plans to play in Berlin in the week following the London tournament. Both tournaments will serve as preparation for the grass-court classic at Wimbledon at the end of June. It is highly probable that the former world number one will also play at Church Road, where she triumphed seven times in singles.
Former player Angelique Kerber, who retired for good in 2024 after a brief comeback as a mother, commented on Williams’ return, saying, “It’s crazy, but if she does something, she does it with conviction.” Kerber added, “As an athlete, you know what you miss in normal life. It’s the adrenaline, it’s that competitive feeling.”
“One of the Greatest Athletes of All Time”
Martina Navratilova, who previously held the record as the oldest former WTA world number one to make a comeback after retirement (at 43 years and 10 months), praised Williams’ decision. “Serena has taken the game to a new level, and it’s great for the sport that she continues to push boundaries and return,” Navratilova said.
Williams is widely considered by many to be the greatest female tennis player in history, even though Australian Margaret Court has one more major title. Williams bid farewell to the big tennis stage at the US Open in 2022, and gave birth to her second child almost a year later. The 44-year-old held the world number one ranking for 319 weeks and won a total of 73 WTA Tour titles.
From Denial to Confirmation: The Comeback Journey
Months ago, it was initially reported that the American had been included in the international doping control pool by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). A comeback for Williams in an official tournament is only possible after six months in the testing pool, which, according to media reports, was the case from February 22.
After the initial comeback rumors, the American quickly spoke out and dismissed them. “Oh my goodness, guys, I am NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy,” she wrote on the platform X. However, she later avoided a clear statement about a possible comeback in a television show. “That’s neither a yes nor a no. I don’t know, I’ll just wait and see what happens,” she said.
Her sister Venus is still sporadically active on the tennis tour. At the Australian Open in January, the 45-year-old competed with a wildcard, but was eliminated in the first round. Venus Williams is a seven-time Grand Slam tournament winner.
Source: allgemeine-zeitung.de
