Tennis legend Serena Williams has not dismissed the possibility of returning to singles play but indicated on Sunday that such a move is not on the immediate horizon as she prepares for her doubles comeback in the sport where she has excelled for twenty years.
The first event for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is the doubles competition at Queen’s Club, which will be her first competitive appearance since the 2022 US Open.
“I can’t say no at this moment; I feel like I may need a bit more training if I want to engage in singles, and we’ll see if I get there. If not, that’s not where my journey is right now,” Williams stated during a highly anticipated press conference on Sunday.
Teaming up with Williams is 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, who is 25 years younger than her. Their opening match is set for Tuesday against the third-seeded duo of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe.
Williams, now 44, has not participated in a match since her farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open. At that event, she opted not to use the term “retirement,” instead expressing that she was “evolving” away from the sport.
Sharing two daughters with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Williams revealed that she thought as recently as December that she “definitely was not” coming back to tennis. However, after some discussions, she reconsidered, stating, “Well, why not? For lack of a better explanation.”
“It’s summer, the kids are out of school, so it’s an ideal time to get out there, have fun, and see what happens,” she added.
Williams claimed seven singles titles at Wimbledon and six at the U.S. Open before stepping back from professional play. She also secured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, including six at Wimbledon and two at the U.S. Open, all alongside her elder sister Venus Williams.
She emphasized that she is freeing herself from all expectations as she makes her return.
“I don’t need to win,” Williams remarked. “I have achieved more than most people do in a lifetime, so it’s not of great importance to me, and I need to keep reminding myself of that since I have nothing to prove.”
“I have nothing to lose, and everything here is just for gain. This whole journey feels like I’m placing no pressure on myself.”
In Mboko, Williams sees qualities that resonate with her, describing the young player’s attitude, resilience, and motivation as reminiscent of herself. After making a “pretty last-minute commitment” to compete at Queen’s, she reached out to the Canadian via text message.
Mboko commented: “She’s hitting the ball very well. Her striking is incredibly clean; she could probably take years off and when she steps onto the court, she’d likely find her rhythm and timing again. That’s a remarkable gift she possesses.”
“I truly believe she’s ready to compete. While hitting with her, she’s striking the ball powerfully and looks really fit, so we shall see.”