Serena Williams’ potential return rumors are reignited after the official confirmation that she’s eligible to return to professional tennis from February 22, 2026, after re-entering the sport’s anti-doping testing framework (International Tennis Integrity Agency). She has completed the necessary steps for players wanting to step back on the court.
Williams has remained tight-lipped about her potential return. Initially, she said she was not returning, but in her latest interview, she deliberately avoided closing the door on a return, saying she doesn’t know what the future holds and wants to “see what happens.”
Respected tennis journalist Jon Wertheim mentioned two names who will be central to the narrative of the potential comeback of Williams at the age of 44. According to Wertheim, one of those names is Martina Navratilova.
“I’ve heard two names floating around,” Wertheim said. “One of them is Martina Navratilova. Martina was roughly the same age when she made a return in her mid-forties. It was doubles only, she played doubles. She played mixed. She had some success. She won a major, but she was not getting out there against players half her age trying to win singles majors.”
The second name mentioned by Wertheim was Harmony Tan and this one comes with emotional baggage as Wertheim believes it is closely tied to Serena’s history at the All England Club.
“The other name I have heard a lot is Harmony Tan,” Wertheim added. “Why do I say that? Harmony Tan is the player who beat Serena Williams in her last match at Wimbledon. It was 7-6 in the third. It was the first round. Serena was not anywhere close to peak Serena, and I am told by multiple sources that has really stuck in Serena’s craw. That was not how she wanted to end her Wimbledon tenure as a seven-time champion.”
Jon Wertheim Guesses Potential Return Timeline of Serena Williams and It’s Not Indian Wells
The Indian Wells is the next tournament on the WTA calendar and many are wondering if California will be the place where Serena Williams makes her highly anticipated return. However, Jon Wertheim has ruled out that possibility, saying the grass season is where it’ll be most likely for the 23-time Grand Slam champion to return.
“So maybe we are peeking toward the grass season, but right now it’s a lot of rumor,” Wertheim said. “It doesn’t look like Indian Wells is going to be the site of the comeback. But otherwise, I think there are a lot of different options here.”
Williams last played in the 2022 US Open, where she was defeated in the third round.
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