New Delhi, June 1: After a four-year hiatus from professional tennis, 44-year-old Serena Williams is gearing up for a remarkable return to the WTA Tour. She will kick off her comeback at the prestigious Queens Club tournament, just ahead of Wimbledon.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion retired in 2022 but is now ready to compete again as a mother of two. Serena welcomed her first daughter, Olympia, in 2017, followed by her second daughter, Adira, in 2023.
Williams’ return has sparked excitement within the tennis community, with many viewing it as another historic moment in her illustrious career, which has continually reshaped the sport.
She joins a select group of former world number one players who have returned to professional tennis after motherhood. This group includes legends like Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber, and Naomi Osaka.
Serena played her first WTA qualifying match in Quebec City in 1995. She made her main draw debut at the age of 15 in Moscow in 1997 and quickly ascended the ranks. By the end of 1998, she was already in the top 20. In 1999, she claimed her first WTA title in Paris and her first Grand Slam title at the US Open.
She first became world number one on July 8, 2002, at the age of 20. Williams held the top ranking for a total of 319 weeks, including a record 186 consecutive weeks. She finished as the year-end number one five times and became the oldest woman to achieve the top ranking at 35 in April 2017.
Williams has won 23 doubles titles, 22 of which she secured alongside her sister Venus Williams. The duo remains undefeated in 14 Grand Slam finals. Serena has also achieved the world number one doubles ranking and earned multiple Olympic gold medals.
Notably, she is the only player in tennis history to complete a ‘Career Golden Slam’ in both singles and doubles, winning all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold medals in both events.
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