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Serena Williams will return to professional tennis on Tuesday, almost four years after her last match. She will play women's doubles at London's Queen's Club during a WTA tournament.
Williams, 44, received a wildcard to enter the event. She and her partner, Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, will play against third seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez. This tournament is a warm-up for Wimbledon.
Williams last played at the 2022 US Open, where she suggested she was leaving the sport. Tuesday's match will be her first professional appearance since that time.
At a press conference at Queen's on Sunday, her first since announcing her comeback, Williams said she is returning because of her two young daughters, Olympia and Adira, whom she shares with her husband Alexis Ohanian.
"It's really about the kids seeing me play," Williams said. "Olympia is a little bit older, Adira is very young. Its components like that."
Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, making her one of the most successful players in tennis history.
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After Queen's, Williams is set to play doubles at the Berlin Open, which takes place from June 15 to 21.
When asked about returning to singles, Williams was cautious but did not rule it out, especially with Wimbledon coming up later in June. She has won that tournament seven times.
"For singles, I can't say yeah and I can't say no," Williams said. "Right now, no. I feel like I probably need to train a little bit more if I want to play singles. We will see if I get there and if not, it is not my journey right now."
Her return has attracted a lot of attention, both for the competition and for personal reasons. Williams says this comeback is not about winning another title, but about giving her children a chance to see her play before she retires for good.
It remains unclear whether Williams will return to singles at Wimbledon or focus solely on doubles; she has yet to decide.
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