What’s next for Serena Williams? Tennis legend makes bombshell admission on singles comeback at 44

Serena Williams has refused to rule out a return to singles tennis, but the 23-time Grand Slam champion insists her long-awaited comeback is not being driven by trophies, rankings or unfinished business.Williams, 44, is preparing to make her first competitive appearance since stepping away from tennis in 2022 when she teams up with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in the doubles draw at the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club in London.The tournament marks the beginning of Williams' return to professional tennis, with the American also scheduled to play doubles at the Berlin Tennis Open later this month. Beyond that, however, her plans remain uncertain, including whether she could eventually compete in singles again.Speaking to reporters at Queen's Club following a 90-minute practice session with 19-year-old Mboko, Williams was asked directly if she intended to return to singles competition."I can't say yeah, I can't say no. Right now, no," Williams said.The answer leaves the door open, but Williams made it clear that proving herself is no longer the motivation behind stepping back onto a tennis court.Williams arrives at Queen's as one of the most accomplished athletes in sporting history.The American won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, spent years at the top of the rankings and transformed women's tennis across more than two decades. After giving birth to daughters Olympia in 2017 and Adira in 2023, she is returning to professional competition from a very different place in life. Asked what motivated her to come back after four years away from the sport, Williams repeatedly emphasised that winning is no longer the priority."I don't need to win. I've won more than most people have in their whole lives, so for me it's not important," she said."It's important that I keep reminding myself of that because I don't have anything to prove, I don't have anything to lose and everything here is just a gain."Rather than chasing records, Williams explained that much of the appeal comes from sharing this experience with her family."This whole journey is like I'm putting no pressure on myself. It's really about my kids getting to see me play. I mean, Olympia is a little bit older, Adira is very young, but it's also still moments like that."The decision itself was not part of some long-term master plan. Speculation surrounding a possible return intensified in late 2025 after Williams re-entered tennis' anti-doping programme, a necessary step for any player hoping to compete professionally again. At the time, she played down suggestions that a comeback was imminent.According to Williams, the idea only gradually developed through conversations with people around her."In December I definitely was not (planning the comeback)," she explained."And then I was just talking to a few people and just, you know, chatting about different possibilities and just having fun."You know, something a little bit different. And so I just kept talking and talking, and then I was like, well, why not?"That simple question ultimately became the foundation of her return.While Williams is currently focused on doubles, she acknowledged that a singles comeback cannot be completely dismissed.There are practical considerations. Singles requires significantly more physical preparation, particularly for a player returning at 44 after four years away from competition."An athlete is the best thing that you can be in the highest place, and having an opportunity to still be able to possibly do that one last time is kind of cool and exciting, so there's a little bit of that too," Williams said."I feel like I probably need to train a little bit more if I want to play singles. We'll see if I get there. And if not … that's not my journey right now."For now, her priorities are far simpler."It's summer, the kids aren't in school, so it's a perfect time to get out there, have fun and see what happens."Williams will begin her comeback alongside one of the brightest young players in tennis.Mboko, 19, is currently ranked world No. 9 in singles and will partner Williams in the doubles draw at Queen's Club. Their first-round match is expected to take place on Tuesday or Wednesday against third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe.Williams revealed that she specifically chose Mboko because the young Canadian reminded her of herself."I remember seeing her play in Montreal," Williams said, referring to Mboko's breakthrough victory at the 2025 Canadian Open."I was impressed with her attitude, and what I liked the most about her was that the next time she played she still kept winning."Sometimes you win one and then have a little bit of a low, which is normal, and that's OK as well. But I loved how she had this drive."For Mboko, meanwhile, the opportunity borders on surreal."Growing up, Serena has always been my idol," she said."It was really hard not to like her because she won every tournament she played. So she was just an easy idol for me."Seeing someone on TV versus actually talking to them in person and having conversations, of course, it's very different. I think she's really nice and she's very personable, very relatable. And I think she's really funny. So I've found a lot of comfort with her." Whether the comeback eventually extends into singles remains unknown. Williams herself is not making promises.What she does know is that this return carries none of the pressure that defined much of her career. At 44, with 23 Grand Slam titles already secured and a legacy firmly established, Serena Williams says she has nothing left to prove.Everything from here, in her own words, is simply "a gain."