Serena Williams has sparked widespread speculation about her potential return after she became eligible, fulfilling anti-doping testing-pool requirements earlier this year. When she first entered the testing pool last year, she laughed at the idea of returning.
However, most recently, her former coach Rick Macci suggested that the 23-time Grand Slam champion might return to professional tennis at the Indian Wells or the Miami Open. The same has not been confirmed by Williams herself or her camp, though.
Why Is Serena Williams Not Playing In Indian Wells 2026?
Serena Williams’ name does not appear in the list of players competing in the Indian Wells. Even if assuming Williams wanted to play, she needed a wildcard to enter the competition, which she didn’t get.
In contrast, her sister Venus Williams, who returned to professional tennis after a long hiatus at the DC Open, received a wildcard entry for both singles and doubles in the tournament.
“I’m so excited to be heading back to Indian Wells and can’t wait to return home to play in California,” Williams said on Friday. “This tournament is always such a special experience, and there’s nothing like competing in front of these incredible fans.”
Recently, Williams’ former coach Rick Macci shared that Serena is working hard and was potentially eyeing to play the 2026 BNP Paribas Open with Venus in the doubles.
“She’s training with lots of sparring partners – guys,” Macci told French publication L’Equipe. “She’s also played with Alycia Parks, a good friend of hers in South Florida. So I have no doubt about it (her comeback). I always thought she would come back from time to time to make appearances with Venus in doubles.
“But we’re not just talking about doubles here … she’s going all out. If she didn’t think she could compete with the best and win matches, she wouldn’t do it. It’s 100% certain she’ll dive back into competition.”
The 71-year old coach raised questions about whether Serena’s competitive spirit is still strong enough.
“The question is whether that competitive spirit is still there,” he said. “She’s answering that question herself: she’s coming back because she is a competitor at heart.”
“It’ll be interesting to see how fit she is,” he added. “Making an appearance, playing an exhibition match or a match is one thing. Doing it again the next day and the day after that, and performing well day after day is another.”
Serena Williams’ last professional tennis match came in the third round of the 2022 US Open. Earlier this year, she didn’t properly answer the question regarding his potential comeback, leaving fans wondering if she’ll consider returning to the tour.
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