- - Serena Williams Finally Addresses Rumors She's Returning to Tennis

Grace GalanteDecember 3, 2025 at 3:09 AM

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Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin on Getty Images

Serena Williams is addressing rumors she's coming back to professional tennis.

Speculation began on Monday, Dec. 2 when fans noticed the tennis legend had re-entered the list of players registered for the drug testing pool by the International Tennis Integrity Agency.

However, the 23-time Grand Slam champion denied the rumors shortly after they began, writing on X, "Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy."

However, fans weren't satisfied with her answer.

"And that’s for you to believe but i know you got another grand slam up in there," wrote one fan in the replies. "The wildfire is a reflection of how much people miss you." added another.

Williams last played at the 2022 U.S. Open, where she won two rounds before losing in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic.

The very next day, Serena applied for official retirement with the International Tennis Integrity Agency, meaning that she would no longer have to comply with random drug testing. As of Dec. 2 of this year, Williams is listed on the agency's list of retired players.

Shortly before her retirement, Williams wrote an essay in Vogue about her decision to step away from tennis ahead of the 2022 U.S. Open. She purposely avoided using the word "retirement," instead calling it an "evolution" away from the sport.

“I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me,” Williams wrote at the time. “A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family.”

William married Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in 2017, and the two share daughters Olympia, 8, and Adira, 2.

It is currently unknown why Williams rejoined the testing pool, however, it makes her eligible to return to professional tennis if she ever chooses to.

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This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”