Serena Williams Returns to Pro Tennis at 44

Serena Williams is back in tennis.

The news came out on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 6:45 am.

Serena last played pro tennis in 2022.

In short, Serena is playing tennis again.

Serena got a special invite to play doubles at Queen's Club in London.

This tournament happens before Wimbledon in July.

We will know who Serena's doubles partner is soon.

Serena is 44 and returning to pro tennis after almost four years.

She will play doubles at Queen's Club in London, as announced by the WTA Tour.

Serena posted a fun video on social media with the caption: 'Guess everybody heard the news.'

In the video, her phone rings, and she says: 'I got to change my number.'

The Queen's Club tournament starts next Monday, and Serena will play with a partner to be announced.

Serena might also play at Wimbledon, which starts on June 28. She has won seven singles titles there.

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

She also said: 'Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing.'

Serena has not competed since the 2022 US Open, but she did not say she was retiring. Instead, she said she was 'evolving' away from tennis.

Martina Navratilova said: 'Serena brought the game to another level, and it's incredible that she's coming back.'

Serena thinks Simona Halep's past results should also be looked into after Halep was banned for four years.

Serena became eligible to compete in February after re-registering with the anti-doping program six months earlier.

Naomi Osaka is excited that Serena is back and thinks it will bring more people to watch tennis.

Osaka said: 'I'm going to watch her first match, and I think a lot of people will. Everyone knows Serena and Venus were my role models.'

Serena posted a video of herself training with her daughter and said: 'Rumor has it...I got a new trainer.'

Serena's second daughter was born in 2023.

Serena's sister, Venus, is still playing tennis at 45.

Coco Gauff said: 'One of my biggest regrets was not being able to play Serena.'

Gauff thinks it would be cool to have Serena back in the sport.

John McEnroe said Serena is not coming back just to play, and she might compete at Wimbledon.

McEnroe said: 'She's not getting any younger, but she's Serena Williams, so I bet she wants to win.'

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McEnroe came back to tennis at 47 and won a doubles tournament.

McEnroe thinks Serena can still win in doubles, but the singles might be harder.

The plan for Serena is not clear, and McEnroe is not sure what she will do next.

A women's tournament returned to Queen's Club last year, and now Serena will make her debut there.

The Queen's Club tournament director, Laura Robson, said: 'Women's tennis made a historic return to Queen's Club last year, and now we have an icon of the game stepping back on court.'

It's exciting for the tournament and the fans.

The ABC of SPORT

The news came out on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 6:45 am.

The news came out on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 7:33 am.

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