Serena Williams, who announced her departure from tennis following the US Open in 2022, has hinted at a possible return. The 23-time Grand Slam champion shared on social media that she is “ready to hit some balls again,” sparking excitement among fans and the tennis community.
In 2022, Williams, now 42, stated she was “evolving away from tennis” in a Vogue essay. Although she did not explicitly confirm her retirement at the US Open, she received heartfelt tributes before each match and bid an emotional farewell after her third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic.
“I am not retired,” Williams said at a San Francisco conference in October 2022 while promoting her investment company, Serena Ventures. “The chances (of a return) are very high. You can come to my house; I have a court.”
Despite stepping away from professional play, Williams revealed that not preparing for tournaments felt unnatural. “I still haven’t really thought about (retirement),” she admitted. “I woke up the other day, went on the court, and for the first time in my life, I’m not playing for a competition. It felt really weird.”
She emphasized her distaste for the term “retirement,” preferring to describe her transition as “evolving” away from tennis. “Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” she wrote in Vogue.
Since Williams’ departure, the women’s game has seen significant changes, with players like Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina emerging as the new ‘Big Four,’ elevating women’s tennis to new heights.
A potential comeback for Williams would require her to be fully fit and prepared to compete at the highest level. Her last Grand Slam singles title came in 2017, and despite numerous attempts, she has not equaled Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles.
Novak Djokovic’s 24th major title at Roland Garros last year might serve as additional motivation for Williams, who could still aspire to a fairy-tale ending to her illustrious career.
