Serena Williams to return to professional tennis with doubles wildcard at Queen’s Club

Serena Williams, 44, confirmed she will return to competitive tennis after a four‑year hiatus. She has been granted a wildcard to play doubles at the HSBC Championships, the WTA 500 event held at the Queen’s Club in London, which starts on 8 June 2026. Williams will partner 19‑year‑old Canadian Victoria Mboko and said, “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter… Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career.”

The American star re‑entered the sport’s anti‑doping programme in late 2025, a prerequisite for a comeback. Her return was announced via a Nike‑branded video that captioned “Good news travels fast.” Commentators, including former champion Martina Navratilova and current players Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff, praised the comeback as a major boost for tennis. Speculation continues about whether Williams will also compete at Wimbledon later in June and whether she may accept a wildcard for a Berlin event later in the month.

Williams’ last professional match was a third‑round loss at the 2022 US Open. Her return is expected to generate significant media attention and increase interest in the upcoming grass‑court season.