In 2022, Serena Williams stepped away from tennis, ending one of the most prolific careers in the history of the sport. However, Williams may be considering a comeback.
A report from tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg claims that Williams could be on her way to returning to the court. If Williams does want to play again, she has to go through a few steps to officially complete her reinstatement, which Rothenberg says she began earlier this year.
When Williams retired, she was one Grand Slam title short of Margaret Court's tennis record, which Novak Djokovic since tied on the men's side. However, Williams returning may not be to try and win her 24th major anyway.
Here's the latest on Williams' potential return.
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Is Serena Williams making a comeback?
Ben Rothenberg reports that Serena Williams applied for reinstatement to get her name added in the drug testing pool. All active tennis players are subjected to random drug testing, and when Williams retired three years ago, the first thing she did was get her name taken off of the drug testing list.
It's too early to tell whether Williams is looking to make a full return, or whether she just wants to play doubles with her sister, Venus. However, Williams denied that she was making a comeback with a post on social media.
Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy-
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) December 2, 2025
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When is Serena Williams coming back?
According to the International tennis Integrity Agency, players coming out of retirement have to make themselves available for drug testing within six months of their return. Since Rothenberg reports that Williams on the ITIA's registered testing pool for October, Williams can likely return any time between now and April.
Rothenberg also reported that Williams considered a comeback for the 2025 U.S. Open, likely to play doubles with her sister, Venus, but there wasn't enough time for her to complete reinstatement.
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How old is Serena Williams?
Serena Williams turned 44 years-old in September, which would make her one of the oldest tennis players in history if she makes a return.
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Serena Williams career wins
Williams is one of the most successful players in women's tennis, as she is at the top of several leaderboards. Among her accomplishments are:
- 23 Grand Slam singles titles
- 73 overall titles
- 853 match wins
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Serena Williams net worth
According to celebritynetworth.com, Serena Williams has a net worth of $300 million. Over the course of her career, Williams earned over $94 million in winnings, and the rest of her net worth came in endorsements and investments.
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Does Venus Williams still play tennis?
Unlike Serena, Venus Williams never officially retired, allowing her to return to the court whenever she wants. During the 2025 U.S. Open, Venus played in the doubles tournament with Leylah Fernandez, as the duo made it all the way to the quarterfinals.