Serena Williams has refused to rule out making a shock return to tennis.
The 44-year-old has not played professional tennis since losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in the 2022 US Open third round, although she branded her departure as “evolving away” from the sport rather than a retirement.
Williams rubbished speculation in December she is considering a comeback despite re-entering the sport’s drug testing pool.
But the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion was not so dismissive about the question in an interview on The Today Show in the United States.
“Really, are you asking this on the Today Show? Oh, my goodness,” Williams said when the idea of a potential playing return was put to her.
“I’m just having fun and enjoying my life right now.
“That’s not a yes or no. I don’t know. I’m just gonna see what happens.
“I have two kids. I’m a full time stay at home [mother]. When I filled out a form the other day. Occupation? [I wrote] Housewife.”
Pushed on whether she had re-entered the drug testing pool, Williams replied: “Did I re-enter? I don’t know if I was out. Listen, I can’t discuss this.”
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka welcomed the possibility of a Williams return, saying: “I heard that she’s enjoying her life and, whatever makes her happy, I’m happy for her.
“If she wants to comeback, that’s her decision. It’s going to be fun to see her back on tour. She’s got the personality, and she’s a fun one. It will be cool.”
Williams shut down rumours about making a tennis comeback after she registered with the sport’s drug-testing body, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in December.
In a social media post, Williams wrote: “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”
Athletes who decide to return to testing need to provide information about their time and locations when they are available to give samples.
They also need to complete testing for six months before they are allowed to return to competition.
Williams’ older sister, Venus, returned to tennis in July at the age of 45 after almost two years away from the tour, and she also never announced her retirement.
At the US Open, Venus became the oldest player to play singles at a Grand Slam tournament since 1981.
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A look back at the most memorable moments from Venus and Serena Williams’ careers at the US Open
Venus, a seven-time major singles champion, has spoken previously about wanting Serena to join her back on tour. They claimed 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a pair.
Williams, who played her first professional tennis match back in 1995, admitted the major motivation behind initially calling it quits three years ago was her desire to have a second child.
She gave birth to Adira River Ohanian in August 2023, her second daughter having welcomed her first child Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr almost six years earlier with husband Alexis Ohanian.
Williams was in the early stages of pregnancy with Olympia when she won the 2017 Australian Open to move just one Grand Slam singles title behind the all-time record held by Margaret Court.
Williams, who gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia in September 2017, lifted the trophy at the ASB Classic in Auckland in 2020
She reached four more finals on her return from maternity leave, two at Wimbledon and two at the US Open, but was beaten in straight sets on each occasion.
Williams, who won her first major title in 1999 at the US Open as a 17-year-old, told Vogue in 2022 when she revealed plans to walk away from tennis: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want [Court’s] record.
“The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus Grand Slams. I had my chances after coming back from giving birth.
“Shoulda, woulda, coulda. I didn’t show up the way I should have or could have. But I showed up 23 times, and that’s fine. Actually it’s extraordinary.”
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