The way has been cleared for Serena Williams’ possible comeback to professional tennis.
In an October document released by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, Williams’ name appears on a list of players currently in ITIA’s registered testing pool. Retired players, of which Williams has been one since the summer of 2022, obviously do not have to be tested for performance-enhancing drugs and other substances banned by the International Tennis Federation.
That development suggests that the 44-year-old is planning, or at least considering, a return to the WTA Tour. Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg also reports this Williams filed the necessary paperwork to be officially reinstated on tour. Players must be in the testing pool for six months before they are eligible to compete. Williams has been in the pool since at least October (if not sooner), meaning she could appear in court no later than April 2026.
Tennis gamblers, who may also be interested in online slotswould obviously have to take Williams into account if she does indeed return next season.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion last played at the 2022 US Open, where she ousted second seed Anett Kontaveit before losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round. Aside from her upset win over Kontaveit, Williams’ last success on the circuit came in 2021, when she reached the semifinals of the Australian Open (lost to Naomi Osaka) and the fourth round of the French Open (lost to Elena Rybakina).
What would have been a record-breaking 25th slam title for Williams has eluded her since 2017, when he triumphed at the Australian Open by beating her sister, Venus Williams, in the final. The younger Williams has since finished runner-up at the Majors four times, most recently at the 2019 US Open (lost to Bianca Andreescu).
If the former world number 1 returns, her first chance to play in a Grand Slam would be at the end of May at the French Open. The Australian Open starts in mid-January, so it is unlikely she will be reinstated when the festivities get underway in Melbourne, unless she was part of the ITIA pool much earlier than reported.
Since Williams isn’t a factor (at least not yet!), here are the current odds to win the Aussie Open on the women’s side:
Aryna Sabalenka (+200)
What’s not to like about Sabalenka’s chances Down Under? The world number 1 has reached the Australian Open final in each of the past three seasons, winning it in both 2023 and 2024 before finishing second to Madison Keys last year. Sabalenka reached three Grand Slam finals in 2025, most recently triumphing at the US Open. The Belarusian did not lose at any of the four slams prior to the semi-finals. She finished the year by winning 14 of her last 16 matches.
Iga Swiatek (+400)
Although Swiatek is at her best on clay, she is not to be underestimated on any surface. After all, she is a former champion of both Wimbledon (grass) and the US Open (hard court). The second-ranked Pole has never reached the Aussie Open championship match, but is a two-time semi-finalist (2022 and 2025). Swiatek struggled last season, aside from a title in Seoul, Korea, but a few months off should get her back to work in time for Australia.
Elena Rybakina (+750)
Rybakina closed out the 2025 campaign like gangbusters. A season-ending eleven-match winning streak took her to titles in Ningbo, China and during the WTA Finals in RiyadhSaudi Arabia. Rybakina defeated each of the two best players in the world, Sabalenka and Swiatek, in Riyadh. The 2022 Wimbledon champion is a former Melbourne Park finalist (lost to Sabalenka in 2023), which should give her even more confidence heading into next year’s tournament.
Coco Gauff (+800)
Gauff’s serving issues are holding her back. The 21-year-old managed to win another Grand Slam title this season (Roland Garros), but otherwise she was plagued by a shocking case of double faults throughout 2025. Once a point starts, Gauff is arguably the best player in the world. That’s why she still ranks an impressive third in the world, even though she makes so many double faults. If Gauff can somehow strengthen that part of her game, she will once again be a factor in Melbourne. The American advanced to the fourth round, semi-finals and quarter-finals of her last three trips Down Under.
Mirra Andreeva (+900)
The problems for Gauff and Andreeva appear to be polar opposites. Gauff is mentally tough for the most part, but physically, at least in the case of her serve, something can go wrong. Andreeva also has the physical tools to succeed, but her mental game is a mess. That can probably be partly explained by her age. The 18-year-old lost a number of big games that he shouldn’t have played in 2025, while often having breakdowns on the pitch. Yet she ranks ninth in the rankings and, even as a teenager, has been a major semifinalist once and a major quarterfinalist twice. Andreeva reached the fourth round of the Australian Open twice.
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