Serena Williams is returning to competitive tennis after accepting a doubles wildcard entry for the HSBC Championships, a WTA 500 grass-court event in London.
The tournament, which begins June 6 at Queen's Club, serves as a key warm-up for Wimbledon.
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Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, last played at the 2022 US Open.
Comeback Speculation and Confirmation
Rumors of her return intensified after she re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Association drug-testing pool in December.
Williams fueled speculation by posting a video on social media showing her walking onto a court with constant phone notifications.
“Good news travels fast,” Williams wrote. “I gotta change my number.”
WTA Chair Valerie Camillo welcomed the return, calling Williams “one of the most iconic women in the world” and a “great champion.”
Earlier, Williams had denied comeback rumors, posting, “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”
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In a January TV interview, she remained non-committal, saying, “not a yes or no.”
Former player Andy Roddick first revealed that Williams would partner with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko.
Mboko confirmed they have stayed in touch but deferred to Williams for any official announcement.
“I think for me, I wanna kinda leave the moment for her,” Mboko said.
“If she’s ready to come back on her own terms, then it’s up to her to announce that.”
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Women's doubles matches run from June 8 to 14. It remains unclear if Williams will also play at Wimbledon later in June.
