Williams, now 44, has not played professionally since 2022 and won her latest Grand Slam title in 2017.<\/p>\n
However, rumours of a possible return to action began to circulate when she re-entered tennis\u2019 anti-doping testing pool<\/a> in December last year, seen as the first step needed by a player looking to come out of retirement.<\/p>\n And Macci – who coached Williams in the early 1990s \u2013 says he is “100% certain” that the 23-time Grand Slam winner is preparing for a comeback.<\/p>\n “She’s training with lots of sparring partners – guys,” Macci told L\u2019Equipe<\/a>, per Reuters<\/a>. “She’s also played with Alycia Parks, a good friend of hers in South Florida. So I have no doubt about it [her comeback]. I always thought she would come back from time to time to make appearances with Venus [her sister] in doubles.<\/p>\n “But we’re not just talking about doubles here … she’s going all out. If she didn’t think she could compete with the best and win matches, she wouldn’t do it. It’s 100% certain she’ll dive back into competition.”<\/p>\n Serena and Venus Williams have inspired American girls – Expert reaction<\/p>\n Video credit: TNT Sports<\/p>\n Although in December she denied<\/a> she was looking to make a return to tennis, she has given much more lukewarm statements since.”I’m just having fun and enjoying my life right now,” Williams said on the \u2018Today\u2019 show last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n Asked whether that was a yes or no to a return, she replied: “That’s not a yes or a no. I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens.”<\/p>\n Williams was then asked why she had re-entered the drug-testing programme.<\/p>\n She said: “Did I re-enter? I didn’t know if I was out. Listen, I can’t discuss this.”<\/p>\n When Williams stepped away from tennis in 2022, she did not use the word “retiring” and instead preferred to say she was “evolving” away from tennis.<\/p>\n And if Williams did return, Macci thinks she would have no issues competing at the highest level again.<\/p>\n “The question is whether that competitive spirit is still there,” he added. “She’s answering that question herself: she’s coming back because she is a competitor at heart.”<\/p>\n According to Macci, the North American spell of tournaments in the next few weeks could be when Williams decides to step back into the fray.<\/p>\n “It’ll be interesting to see how fit she is,” he said. “Making an appearance, playing an exhibition match or a match is one thing. Doing it again the next day and the day after that, and performing well day after day is another.”<\/p>\n![\"picture\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/3445183-70288828-2560-1440.jpg\")
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