Serena Williams announces comeback to pro tennis after four years; Why is 23-time Grand Slam champ returning at 44?

In a blockbuster news to the fans globally, Serena Williams announced her return to professional tennis on Monday, after nearly four years since her loss to Australian Alja Tomljanovic in a Round of 32 women's single clash in the 2022 US Open. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has accepted a wild card invitation to play doubles at the upcoming Queen's Club Championships in London.

The Queen's Club Championships runs from June 8–14. However her specific doubles partner is yet to be announced, said WTA. Serena has not competed since bidding farewell at the 2022 US Open. At the time, Serena said she didn't want to use the word "retiring" and instead declared that she was "evolving" away from tennis.

"Serena brought the game to another level and it is incredible for the sport that she's pushing the boundaries and coming back," said Martina Navratilova, the previous oldest former No.1 to launch a comeback after retirement, at 43 years, 10 months.

"To many of the younger players, they never had the opportunity to play her; some may have never watched her on television so this will be a new and exciting experience," Navratilova said.

Serena, who has also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, became eligible to compete in February after re-registering with tennis' mandatory anti-doping program six months earlier - which is the first step toward a comeback.

Why is Serena Williams making a comeback?

Serena's return at Queen's Club Championships on grass court will raise a speculation about her plans to compete at the Wimbledon. The Queen's Club Championships serves as a preparation for Wimbledon, starting on June 28. She's won seven singles titles at the All England Club.

Although her doubles return as been announced, it is not yet clear whether Serena intends to compete in the singles at the Queen's Club Championships. As far as her chances of playing at Wimbledon is concerned, nothing can't predicted as yet.

Having said that, Serena might be a strong candidate for a wild-card entry given her stature and achievements in the sport. A lot will depend on Serena's performances at Queen's Club Championships and how her body reacts after a such a lengthy break.

Serena Williams' achievements in tennis

Widely regarded as one of the greatest female tennis players in history, Serena won 23 Grand Slams, one shy of Margaret Court's record 24 Majors. Her first Grand Slam title came at the 1999 US Open as a 17-year-old. In fact, Serena's 23 Grand Slams are the most the most in the Open era.

The last time Serena won a Grand Slam was at the 2017 Australian Open during the early stages of her pregnancy. After returning from her maternity leave, Serena could have added four more Grand Slams to her tally, but lost all of them - two Wimbledon finals and two US Open finals.