“Omg everyone I am NOT coming back,” Williams, 44, wrote on X. “This bushfire is crazy”
Omg everyone, I will NOT be back. This forest fire is crazy-
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) December 2, 2025
Williams, widely considered the greatest women’s player in the sport’s history, retired from tennis in 2022 after the US Open. She has since reportedly asked to be reinstated and her name has been included in the most recent list of players in the Test pool, dated October 6. The Athletic first reported on Tuesday that Williams was on the list.
Jill Smoller, Williams’ longtime agent, has not yet responded to ESPN’s request for comment.
As per protocol, Williams officially declared herself retired from the ITIA in 2022, meaning she would no longer be subject to routine drug testing. Her name remains listed on the site as retired, but she would be eligible to return to the league and be listed as a reinstated player after six months in the pool. These players – including most in the top 100 – must provide their whereabouts at any time, any day, and participate in random testing. It’s unclear why Williams would subject herself to such strict scrutiny if she wasn’t considering playing again.
Williams’ older sister Venus, 45, returned to the WTA Tour in July after a 16-month absence. After a memorable first-round exit at the US Open, Serena took to social media to express her pride and admiration for her sister, adding at the end of her post: “PS, I hope to be just like you.” Venus was repeatedly asked about Serena’s possible return over the summer, and she admitted she never wanted her to retire.
“I mean, I keep telling my team, ‘The only thing that would make this better is if she was here,’ like we always did everything together, so of course I miss her,” Venus said at the Citi Open in July. “But when she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let you all know.”
Venus recently accepted a wildcard to play at the Auckland Open in January. Serena won the last WTA title of her career during the 2020 tournament, and the only one after returning from maternity leave.
#Serena #return #rumours #coming