Serena Williams, widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players in history, has cleared a major hurdle on her road to potentially making a comeback. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion was named on the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) reinstatement list on Monday, signaling that she is eligible to return to competitive tennis.
However, it remains unclear whether Williams will actually take up the offer. Since ending her career at the 2022 US Open, there have been numerous rumors about a potential comeback, but so far, nothing has been officially confirmed by the American great herself.
To make matters more intriguing, in December, ITIA confirmed to BBC Sport that Williams had rejoined the drug testing pool, which would enable her to compete again. However, when questioned about this development, she refused to comment on it directly, fueling speculation about whether or not she intends to return to tennis.
In a recent interview with Savannah Guthrie from The Today Show, Williams continued to leave door open for a potential comeback. When asked if she planned to put an end to the rumors once and for all, Williams instead said that "it's not a maybe." This has further fueled speculation among fans and pundits alike, who are eagerly awaiting any update on her future plans.
Throughout her illustrious career, Serena Williams has won a record-breaking seven Australian Open titles, three French Opens, seven Wimbledons, and six US Opens. Her impressive haul of Grand Slam singles titles is only matched by two other players in tennis history: Margaret Court and Novak Djokovic.
However, it remains unclear whether Williams will actually take up the offer. Since ending her career at the 2022 US Open, there have been numerous rumors about a potential comeback, but so far, nothing has been officially confirmed by the American great herself.
To make matters more intriguing, in December, ITIA confirmed to BBC Sport that Williams had rejoined the drug testing pool, which would enable her to compete again. However, when questioned about this development, she refused to comment on it directly, fueling speculation about whether or not she intends to return to tennis.
In a recent interview with Savannah Guthrie from The Today Show, Williams continued to leave door open for a potential comeback. When asked if she planned to put an end to the rumors once and for all, Williams instead said that "it's not a maybe." This has further fueled speculation among fans and pundits alike, who are eagerly awaiting any update on her future plans.
Throughout her illustrious career, Serena Williams has won a record-breaking seven Australian Open titles, three French Opens, seven Wimbledons, and six US Opens. Her impressive haul of Grand Slam singles titles is only matched by two other players in tennis history: Margaret Court and Novak Djokovic.
. I mean, think about it, she's been gone for like 2 years and we've already had to deal with endless rumors and speculation about her return. It'd be pretty great if she just stayed retired and enjoyed her life after tennis 
. Plus, the last thing tennis needs is another Serena Williams comeback story 
. Can't a girl just enjoy her quiet life without having everyone assume she's gonna make a massive comeback? 
So I'm reading that Serena Williams just got reinstated on the tennis circuit... that's awesome news for her fans, but also a bit confusing since she hasn't officially said anything about coming back 
. I mean, we've seen this before where athletes join the drug testing pool and then decide to come back or not. Maybe she just wants to keep all her options open? 
Either way, it's gonna be interesting to see what happens next 
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she was always supposed to retire, but then the rumors started & now we're back at square one 
i'm not sure if i believe she'll actually make it back, but at this point, i'd be surprised if she doesn't 
23 grand slams is a big deal, and she's still got that fire 
in her belly. meanwhile, the world is just waiting with bated breath, wondering what's gonna happen next 
anyway, 23 grand slams is still insane and like who else can say they've got that kinda skill & athleticism in their blood?
. Savannah Guthrie's interview was super intriguing - that line "it's not a maybe" had me thinking... Will we see Serena back on the court in 2025? 
Only time (and she) will tell! 
... Like, if you're serious about coming back, can't we get some confirmation from her instead of just speculation? 
.
I think it's amazing that she's taking steps towards a potential comeback, even if it's just on the tennis court. You know, as someone who's passionate about self-care and mindfulness, I believe that life is all about balance and taking calculated risks. If Serena's feeling the itch to play again, why not?! 
The thought of Serena back on the court, serving up those powerful aces and acing her opponents, gives me goosebumps! And let's be real, it'd be so cool if she could break records and make history all over again. Fingers crossed that we'll see more of this from her soon!
. One thing's for sure: Serena Williams will always be the GOAT in my book 
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. The fact that she rejoined the drug testing pool in Dec is like, super encouraging 
. I mean, we've all seen her fierce determination on court, so I'm not surprised she's gonna take this leap of faith 
! On one hand, it's awesome that she's been cleared to compete again – 23 Grand Slams is still a record to beat 
. But on the other hand, her refusal to comment directly has me wondering if she's even considering it 
. I'm just trying not to overanalyze it too much, but at the same time, I need some clarity ASAP 
! One thing's for sure though – Serena's always been all about defying expectations and pushing boundaries, so we can expect whatever she decides next to be out of this world 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to see her back on the court, crushing it as always? 
. Can you imagine?
what was that racket she using tho? got any idea who designs those things? 
!
. We've seen this kind of thing happen before, where people get reinstated on the tennis circuit only to not actually play again. I mean, it's great that she's rejoined the drug testing pool and all, but if she's really coming back for real, we should hear some concrete plans from her 
. And can we please get a straight answer from her instead of just leaving us in limbo like this? 
Still, I'm rooting for her to come back and dominate on the court again