Serena Williams has refused to rule out returning to professional tennis after recently filing the necessary paperwork.
Williams, who won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, retired after the 2022 US Open.
In December, the International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed to BBC Sport that the 44-year-old was back on the list of players registered for the drug testing pool.
At the time, the American said she was “not coming back” but during an interview on the Today Show on Wednesday, Williams did not rule out stepping back on to the court.
“I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens,” Williams said.
Interviewer Savannah Guthrie pushed Williams further, saying “that’s a maybe to me”, and the seven-time Wimbledon champion said “It’s not a maybe”.
Williams – a mother of two – said she recently put stay-at-home mum and housewife as her occupation on a form.
Asked whether she had re-entered the drug testing pool, Williams said: “I don’t know if I was out. Listen, I can’t discuss this.
“If I want to put it [rumours] to bed… listen, I want to go to bed.”
Players are only eligible to return to competition once they have spent six months in the testing pool.
Williams’ name appeared on a document published by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on 6 October.
Every active player is subject to out-of-competition testing. But those in the testing pool – which is largely comprised of the top 100 singles, doubles and wheelchair players as well as returning athletes – must let the testers know where they will be for one hour of every single day.
‘Playing with Venus again may be motivating factor’
Williams was playfully evasive in her appearance on the Today show, but you can take the lack of a denial to mean the idea of a comeback has crystallised in her mind.
The suggestion that she may never have left the drug testing pool was classic Williams – it was cheekily disingenuous.
The ITIA’s list has been updated once since October, and December’s list still included her name.
Williams would not even be the oldest member of her family on the tour if she does return. Venus is 45 and the possibility of playing doubles with her sister one last time may be the motivating factor for Serena.
But for the definitive answer, you will have to stay tuned. Interest has been piqued, and the season finale may be some way away.
