Major Takeaways

• Serena Williams is returning to professional tennis after a four-year hiatus, beginning in the doubles draw at Queen’s Club in London.
• Williams will partner with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, one of the sport’s rising stars, in the WTA 500 grass-court event.
• The 23-time Grand Slam champion’s comeback adds another remarkable chapter to a career that includes Olympic gold medals, world No. 1 rankings, and numerous tennis records.

After four years away from professional competition, Serena Williams returns to the tennis court at Queen’s Club, beginning a new chapter in one of the sport’s most legendary careers.

Urban City Podcast Sports Desk• 3 min read Tennis icon Serena Williams is officially ending her four-year hiatus from professional tennis. Rumors of a potential return circulated globally over the past week, leading Williams to post a video across social media on Monday. The video, produced as an advertisement for Nike, showed her answering a ringing phone while standing on a tennis court, accompanied by the text, “guess everybody heard the news” and “Good news travels fast.” The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion confirmed that she will make her competitive return to the court this month, starting in the women’s doubles draw at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London, a WTA 500 grass-court tournament scheduled for June 8-14. Williams, 44, has accepted a wild card entry into the doubles field and is expected to partner with 19-year-old Canadian rising star Victoria Mboko, currently ranked No. 9. Williams last played a professional match since her run at the 2022 U.S. Open, when she described her departure from the sport as “evolving away from tennis” rather than formally retiring. In recent months, speculation about a comeback intensified after she re-entered the sport’s anti-doping testing program and was seen training on court. Because of her extended absence, Williams holds no official WTA singles or doubles ranking. During her career, Williams spent 319 weeks ranked No. 1 in the world, captured 73 singles titles, won 14 Grand Slam doubles championships alongside her sister Venus Williams, and earned four Olympic gold medals, boasting an 858-156 lifetime record in singles and a 192-35 mark in doubles. Her 23 Grand Slam singles trophies stand as an Open Era record, putting her just one major victory behind Margaret Court and Novak Djokovic for the most all-time tennis championships. In a statement released by tournament organizers, Williams said, “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter. Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.” The WTA welcomed the announcement, noting that Williams’ comeback adds another chapter to one of the most accomplished careers in tennis history. WTA Tournament Director Laura Robson noted that Queen’s Club only recently introduced women’s tennis back to its historic venue last year, sharing: “Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, and we’re delighted that she will be making her return to tennis at the LTA’s HSBC Championships. Women’s tennis made a historic return to the Queen’s Club last year, and now we have an icon of the game stepping back on to court at this prestigious venue — it’s very exciting for the tournament and the fans.”