Serena Williams has caused a whirlwind of speculation after her name suddenly appeared in tennis’ official drug-testing pool. This has signalled an eligibility groundwork for a return.
Yet, the 23-time Grand Slam champion shut everything down within hours, declaring online: “I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is cr*zy.”
The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed Williams, now 44, was officially back on the list of monitored athletes. Her name appeared in the organisation’s most recent public document, published on 6 October.
Athletes in this pool are required to disclose a daily one-hour testing window, allowing doping officials to locate them at any time.
Despite retiring after the 2022 US Open, Williams never embraced the word “retirement,” instead calling it an evolution away from tennis.
Her farewell tournament drew global icons including Bill Clinton, Billie Jean King and Tiger Woods, and her final match saw her save five match points in a dramatic night thriller before bowing out to Ajla Tomljanovic.
Serena’s intentions remain unclear as rules allow possible 2026 comeback
Under tennis protocol, any retired athlete must be available for six months of out-of-competition testing before competing again.
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It is unclear when Williams re-entered the pool, but even from October’s listing, she could technically become eligible by April. Still, her fierce denial suggests no imminent plans.
However, fans remain intrigued, especially after Williams recently discussed weight-loss challenges on American television, revealing she had turned to medication despite training intensely. Only Margaret Court and Novak Djokovic hold more major singles titles than Serena, who amassed seven Australian Opens, three French Opens, seven Wimbledons and six US Opens — the most by any woman in the Open era.
Her older sister, Venus Williams, has already staged a comeback at 45, returning to Grand Slam competition earlier this year and reaching the US Open women’s doubles quarter-finals with Leylah Fernandez.
Together, the sisters won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals, making the idea of a reunion at a future major — especially 2026 — an enticing prospect for tennis romantics.
Tags: Serena Williams, Grand Slam, The International Tennis Integrity Agency, official drug testing pool.
