Serena Williams confirms return to competitive tennis aged 44 with Queen's Club wildcard

Serena Williams is to make her return to competitive tennis at the age of 44.

The American star has confirmed she will compete at the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club in west London next week as a wildcard entry into the doubles draw.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion last played on the WTA Tour in September 2022, when she retired from professional tennis following a third-round loss at the US Open.

Williams said: "Queen's ⁠Club feels like the perfect ‌place to begin this next chapter.

"Grass ‌has given me some of the most meaningful moments of ⁠my career, and ​I'm excited to ​be back ​competing on one of ⁠the sport's most iconic stages." ⁠

Williams, who played her first professional match in 1995, had fuelled rumours of a return after re-entering the sport's anti-doping pool last year.

The seven-time Wimbledon champion intensified those rumours even further by playfully dodging questions in an interview with NBC.

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic had suggested she could target Wimbledon for a comeback, while her former coach Rick Macci claimed she was going "all out" in training to prepare for a return.

Her sister, Venus Williams, who is 15 months older than Serena, is still playing and competed at the Australian Open in January as a wildcard.

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Following Serena's US Open defeat, she avoided using the word retirement and instead said she was "evolving away" from tennis.

Williams teased Monday's announcement with a social media post that contained a video with the caption: "Good news travels fast."

She gave birth to her second daughter in 2023 and had appeared absorbed with life away from the court as a mother and businesswoman.

But videos emerged on social media of Williams back in training on court.

Tournament director Laura Robson added: "Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, and we're delighted that she will be making her return to tennis at the LTA's HSBC Championships."

(c) Sky News 2026: Serena Williams confirms return to competitive tennis aged 44 with Queen's Club wildcard