Serena Williams has confirmed her return to professional tennis. On June 1, the 44-year-old legend announced she will compete at the Queen's Club Championship in London starting June 8.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion will partner with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko in doubles at the grass-court event, a traditional Wimbledon warmup tournament.
"Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter," Serena said in a statement. "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."
Serena last competed professionally in 2022. She has two daughters, Olympia, 8, and Adira, 2, with husband Alexis Ohanian.
In preparing for her return, she has focused on Pilates and running. Last summer she reported losing 31 pounds with the help of GLP-1 medication Zepbound.
"I'm lighter, not physically, but just mentally," she explained. "I think having more energy, I just feel happier. I can get more things done. I feel better going about my day."
Speculation about a Serena comeback began in December when the International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed she had requested reinstatement into the testing pool. She initially dismissed the reports with an X post: "Omg yall. I'm NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy."
