Serena Williams: Fans speculate on retired tennis star's return
Serena Williams, who retired from tennis in 2022, has reentered the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s doping pool, a mandatory step for any player seeking eligibility in sanctioned tournaments.
Her name appeared on the agency’s updated International Registered Testing Pool list released Oct. 6. The move sparked immediate speculation across social media, with fans questioning whether the 23-time Grand Slam champion is preparing for a comeback.
Williams, who lives in Jupiter, Florida, is 44 years old.
Is Serena Williams making a comeback?
Williams has to be in the testing pool for six months before she would be eligible to play again. But she said on social media that a comeback is not in the works.
Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy-
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) December 2, 2025
“omg yall I’m NOT coming back. this wildfire is crazy-” Williams wrote on X.
In July 2025, her sister Venus won her first singles match in three years at age 45 at the Citi Open in Washington D.C. She had not played a WTA Tour match for over a year.
After the match, she hinted that Serena was coming out of retirement, noting the two had practiced together recently.
Why is Serena Williams’ name in the drug testing pool?
It’s not clear why Williams would ask to rejoin the drug-testing program, which requires her to provide her whereabouts and be available for testing, if she’s not planning to play again. Williams’ team did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY Sports.
Williams’ reentry to the doping pool was first reported by The Athletic.
When was the last time Serena Williams played?
The 23-time Grand Slam champion has not played since the 2022 U.S. Open. She announced in August of that year that she was “evolving” away from tennis, in part because she and husband Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of the social media site Reddit, wanted to have more children.
“Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair,” Williams wrote in an Aug. 9, 2022, essay in Vogue. “But I’m turning 41 this month, and something’s got to give.”
Serena Williams postpartum weight loss journey
Williams revealed in August that she had lost 31 pounds after going on a GLP-1 drug, and credited the medication with finally helping relieve the joint pain she’d had since having her first daughter, Olympia, in September 2017.
“I had a lot of knee issues,” Williams said during an appearance on the “Today” show. “Especially after I had my kid (and) was never able to get to my normal levels of weight. And that, quite frankly, definitely had an effect on maybe some wins that I could have had in my career.”
Williams has immersed herself in various business ventures since stepping away from tennis. In an interview with Porter magazine, published Monday, she said not playing tennis was still “difficult,” but she missed it less than she once had.
“Not as much as this time last year,” she told the magazine. “No matter how prepared you are to retire, and particularly from doing something every day at such a high level, it’s hard. I really prepped myself the best way I could, but it’s something that’s still a little difficult.”
How many kids does Serena Williams have now?
Serena Williams currently has two children, daughters Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. (born September 2017) and Adira River Ohanian (born August 2023).
Serena Williams lives in Palm Beach County
Serena Williams lives in a custom-built waterfront estate in Jupiter, Florida.
Previously, she and her sister Venus Williams, who’s still playing pro tennis, jointly owned a $ 2 million home on Grand Key Terrace in the BallenIsles community in Palm Beach Gardens.
Serena also owned a $ 2.5 million two-story home with five bedrooms and five bathrooms at 7703 Bold Lad Rd. in the Steeplechase community near Palm Beach Gardens.
She also has properties in Miami, Beverly Hills and Paris.
Diamond Walker is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at dkwalker@gannett.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Serena Williams rejoins tennis testing pool, fueling comeback rumors
