CALL IT A COMEBACK

Serena Williams, 44, Makes Shock Career Move

The 23-time singles Grand Slam champ is set to play doubles at Queen’s Club.

Tennis legend Serena Williams is set to return to the sport nearly four years after her last professional match. The 44-year-old mom of two revealed Monday that she will play with doubles partner Victoria Mboko, 19, in next week’s HSBC Championships at the Queen’s Club in London. “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” Williams said. The event, which begins June 8, serves as a warm-up for Wimbledon. Serena also confirmed the news on X, writing, “Good news travels fast,” along with a short clip of her on the court. Williams has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open. After the match, Williams said she was “evolving away” from tennis rather than officially retiring, a move seen as intentionally leaving room for her to return to the sport. She spent six months in tennis’ anti-doping testing pool, one of the requirements for eligibility. But after reports surfaced in December, she downplayed the rumors. “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy,” she wrote on X at the time. She also refused to confirm her return on The Today Show in January, saying, “I’m just having fun and enjoying my life right now.” In her time away from the sport, Williams expanded her business portfolio, including appearing in an advertisement for telehealth company Ro’s GLP-1 product and making a cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Mkobo has spoken out about her admiration for Williams. “She’s my idol, so it’s really cool.”