SERENA WILLIAMS is coming out of retirement and will play doubles at Queen’s next week.
It has been an open secret in the sport that despite retiring in September 2022, she is going to make a stunning comeback.
Serena Williams is making a shock return to tennis next week Credit: Getty
Speculation had been rife that she would play again since late last year Credit: Getty
When her name appeared on the list for regular drug testing, it sparked wild speculation that she would play again, even though she denied that at the time on a US chat show.
However, it was confirmed on Monday afternoon that she would play on grass at the WTA event in south-west London.
It is huge news for the sport and the LTA broke the announcement with a photo of , a 23-time Grand Slam champion, accompanied by a graphic of a red crown.
The Californian, who has received a wildcard entry, is likely to partner up with Canadian teenager as they eye a return to .
Williams, 44, won 73 singles titles and spent 319 weeks as the WTA World No. 1.
She said: “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter.
“Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.”
WTA Tournament Director said: “Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen.
“And we’re delighted that she will be making her return to at the LTA’s HSBC Championships.
“Women’s tennis made a historic return to The Queen’s Club last year, and now we have an icon of the game stepping back on to court at this prestigious venue.
“It’s very exciting for the tournament and the fans.”
How Sir David Attenborough made tennis balls yellow
DID you know Sir David Attenborough is one of the main reasons tennis is played with yellow balls?
It’s hard to imagine Wimbledon being played without the signature fluorescent balls.
However, the truth is that upon the inception of lawn in the late 1800s players would normally use white or sometimes black balls.
That went on until fans started to buy colour televisions.
Attenborough worked as a controller for BBC Two in 1967 and it was up to him to transition viewers to colour from black and white.
The legendary presenter quickly realised that it is hard to notice the white ball when it travels over white lines and .
The International Tennis Federation approved what is now known as the “optic yellow” ball in 1972.
But it took another 14 years before they finally saw the light, eventually making the switch for the Championships in 1986.
Andy Roddick has tipped Williams to in a podcast that aired last month.
Williams has maintained shape and fitness, saying she shed 34 pounds in a year while taking the fat-sliming weight-loss drug Zepbound.
This returns opens the door for a potential doubles hook-up with elder sister Venus, 45, at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Venus played doubles in New York last year with Canadian Leylah Fernandez – 22 years the junior – and this inspired her younger sibling to look into the prospects of a return.
On grass, the younger Williams sister is a seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, the last victory on Centre Court coming 10 years ago.
Williams’s last singles match was a 7-5 6-7 6-1 defeat to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 US Open.
A few weeks before her trip to Flushing Meadows, she went out in the first round of Wimbledon, going down 7-5 1-6 7-6 to Frenchwoman Harmony Tan.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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