Serena Williams refuses to rule out making shock return to tennis
Williams has not played professional tennis since the 2022 US Open.
Serena Williams has refused to rule out making a shock return to tennis.
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The 44-year-old has not played professional tennis since losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in the 2022 US Open third round, although she branded her departure as “evolving away” from the sport rather than a retirement.
Williams rubbished speculation in December she is considering a comeback despite re-entering the sport’s drug testing pool.
But the 23-time grand slam singles champion was not so dismissive about the question in an interview on The Today Show in the United States.
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“Really, are you asking this on the Today Show? Oh, my goodness,” Williams said when the idea of a potential playing return was put to her.
“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.”
Pushed on whether she had re-entered the drug testing pool, Williams replied: “Did I re-enter? I don’t know if I was out. Listen, I can’t discuss this.”
Williams, who played her first professional tennis match back in 1995, admitted the major motivation behind initially calling it quits three years ago was her desire to have a second child.
She gave birth to Adira River Ohanian in August 2023, her second daughter having welcomed her first child Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr almost six years earlier with husband Alexis Ohanian.
Williams was in the early stages of pregnancy with Olympia when she won the 2017 Australian Open to move just one grand slam singles title behind the all-time record held by Margaret Court.
She reached four more finals on her return from maternity leave, two at Wimbledon and two at the US Open, but was beaten in straight sets on each occasion.
Williams, who won her first major title in 1999 at the US Open as a 17-year-old, told Vogue in 2022 when she revealed plans to walk away from tennis: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want (Court’s) record.
“The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus grand slams. I had my chances after coming back from giving birth.
“Shoulda, woulda, coulda. I didn’t show up the way I should have or could have. But I showed up 23 times, and that’s fine. Actually it’s extraordinary.”