American tennis great Serena Williams has announced her long-awaited return to competitive tennis, accepting a wildcard entry into the doubles draw at this month\u2019s Queen\u2019s Club Championships in London.<\/p>\n
The 44-year-old, who won the last of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles in 2017, has not played a competitive match since the 2022 US Open. Queen\u2019s Club confirmed her participation in a statement on Monday.<\/p>\n
Williams also posted a video on social media showing her walking off a tennis court before noticing her phone buzzing with notifications.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuess everybody heard the news,\u201d she said, while the post had the caption: \u201cGood news travels fast.\u201d<\/p>\n
Interest in Williams\u2019 return had grown in recent months after she re-entered the tennis anti-doping testing pool last year, making her eligible to compete again.<\/p>\n
\u201cQueen\u2019s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,\u201d former world number one Williams, now a mother of two daughters, said in the statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I\u2019m excited to be back competing on one of the sport\u2019s most iconic stages.\u201d<\/p>\n
British media reports said Williams is expected to partner 19-year-old Canadian player Victoria Mboko after requesting a wildcard for the June 8-14 tournament.<\/p>\n
Attention will now turn to whether Wimbledon, where Williams won seven singles titles, will also offer her an opportunity to compete when the grass-court Grand Slam begins on June 29.<\/p>\n
Williams has spent recent months working on her fitness and regularly documenting her progress on social media. She last competed on the WTA Tour in September 2022 and announced her retirement after a third-round defeat at the US Open, saying at the time that she was \u201cevolving away from tennis\u201d to focus on other priorities.<\/p>\n
Her return also raises the prospect of reviving her celebrated doubles partnership with her sister, Venus Williams, who remains active on the professional circuit. The sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together.<\/p>\n
WTA chair Valerie Camillo welcomed the news, saying the tour was eager to see Williams compete again.<\/p>\n
\u201cSerena is one of the \u2060greatest athletes of all time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court\u2026 I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players,\u201d Camillo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this hugely exciting moment for women\u2019s tennis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Faridah Abdulkadiri\u00a0<\/p>\n
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