Serena Williams set to return to tennis with grass season comeback: Report

Serena Williams appears to be gearing up for one of the most dramatic returns in tennis history.

According to reporting by Jon Wertheim on the “Served” podcast released May 27, the 23‑time Grand Slam champion has requested a doubles wildcard to play alongside 19‑year‑old Canadian world No. 9 Victoria Mboko at the Queen’s Club in London. The WTA 500 event begins in 11 days.

The development follows months of speculation about Williams’ future. Though she stepped away from the sport after the 2022 US Open, she quietly took a major step toward eligibility last year when she re‑entered the anti‑doping testing pool, a requirement for any player considering a comeback.

Podcast host and former world No. 1 Andy Roddick emphasized the importance of that move. “As soon as you re‑enter the doping protocol, which happened six or eight months ago, you do that because you want the option of coming back,” he said.

Roddick added that while the decision may not be the most practical from a competitive standpoint, it reflects the mindset of a champion who still feels she has unfinished business.

“I know this is not a pragmatic decision, I’m sure there is the champion’s mentality, ego, what‑ifs… I think you could say her best chance of like lightning in a bottle in this comeback is on grass at Wimbledon.”

Williams’ doubles résumé is already historic — she owns 16 Grand Slam doubles titles, 14 of them alongside her un‑retired sister Venus. Her singles legacy is even more towering with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era.

Roddick believes Williams’ ambitions extend beyond doubles. The seven‑time Wimbledon singles champion, he predicts, will take the court in singles at the All England Club this summer.

“I think she is going to play singles… I just don’t see, at this point in her life, 40s, coming back — how many shots in the basket are you going to have on your best surface, in singles, again, if that is your intent. I don’t think she can skip singles at Wimbledon. I think if you’re going to come back, you gotta go,” Roddick said.

The Queen’s Club did not immediately respond to NBC Local’s request for comment.

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