As Serena Williams gears up for her return to doubles play, there’s still a hint of possibility for her to step back into singles competition. The 39-time Grand Slam champion expressed that she isn’t ruling anything out.
“I can’t say no now,” she mentioned to reporters after practicing with her doubles partner, Victoria Mboko, at Queen’s Club. “If I want to play singles, I probably need to train a bit more. We’ll see how it goes, but if not… well, that’s just not the focus for me right now.”
Williams has received a wild card to compete in the women’s doubles at the HSBC Championships in London.
On Monday, she will play her first official match since her exit in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. She holds an impressive 23 Grand Slam singles titles, just behind Margaret Court’s 24.
Teaming up with Canada’s Mboko, Williams will be up against Australia’s Erin Routliff and America’s Nicole Melichar-Martinez.
Though she hasn’t officially retired, Williams’ return is somewhat unexpected, especially after she shared her plan to “evolve” from the sport in a Vogue essay in September last year.
Having been ranked No. 1 for 319 weeks during her career, Williams is taking a relaxed approach to her comeback.
“I don’t need to win,” the seven-time Wimbledon champion stated. “It’s not a priority because I’ve already achieved so much. It’s essential for me to remember that I have nothing left to prove.”
“There’s nothing to lose, only things to gain here.”
Despite previously dismissing a return to tennis in December, Williams had a change of heart, thinking, “Why not?” With her daughters, Olympia and Adira, now older, she is eager for them to experience her sport firsthand.
Williams noted that she saw a reflection of herself in Mboko, prompting her to reach out via text to join the tournament.
“There are many important factors for me at this stage,” Williams said. “It’s crucial for my kids to see me play. Olympia is getting older, and Adira is still young. Athletes tend to rise to their best, and having a chance to do that, maybe one last time, is quite exciting.”
