Serena Williams Eligible to Return to Tennis on February 22

The tennis legend has been evasive about her plans, but her return is highly anticipated.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Ever since her name appeared on the ITIA drug testing pool list late last year, Serena Williams has been evasive about her plans to return to professional tennis. Fans are now one step closer to finding out her plans on February 22, the day she is officially eligible to return to the WTA tour.

Why it matters

Serena Williams is considered the greatest female tennis player of all time, with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 doubles titles, 2 mixed doubles titles, and 4 Olympic gold medals. Her potential return to the sport would be a major event in the tennis world.

The details

Williams retired after the 2022 US Open, but has continued to practice and post videos of herself on the court. Some believe she may initially return on the doubles court with her sister Venus, who recently made a joyful return to the game at age 45. Serena's rival-turned-friend Maria Sharapova has even playfully asked if she is planning a Wimbledon return, where Serena has won 13 Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles.

  • Serena Williams' name appeared on the ITIA drug testing pool list late last year.
  • Serena Williams is officially eligible to return to professional tennis on February 22, 2026.

The players

Serena Williams

Considered the greatest female tennis player of all time, with 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 doubles titles, 2 mixed doubles titles, and 4 Olympic gold medals.

Venus Williams

Serena's sister, who recently made a joyful return to professional tennis at age 45.

Maria Sharapova

Serena's rival-turned-friend, who has playfully asked if Serena is planning a Wimbledon return.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

If Serena Williams does return to tennis, fans will be eager to see if she makes her comeback at Wimbledon, where she has had great success, or at the US Open summer series, which includes warmup tournaments in Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati.

The takeaway

Serena Williams' potential return to professional tennis would be a highly anticipated event in the sports world, as she is considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. Her return would be a major boost for the sport and would captivate fans around the globe.