Is Serena Williams’ comeback edging ever nearer? Andy Roddick claims ‘her greatest likelihood is on grass at Wimbledon’

Is Serena Williams’ comeback edging ever nearer? Talking on his podcast, ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ the previous world No 1 claims “her best chance is on grass at Wimbledon”.

Williams has been mooted at a sensational return to skilled tennis on the age of 44.

She has not performed skilled tennis since shedding to Ajla Tomljanovic within the 2022 US Open third spherical, though she branded her departure as “evolving away” from the game fairly than a retirement.

Williams re-entered the tennis anti-doping testing pool final yr, which requires people to supply their whereabouts at any given time, day by day, and take part in random testing.

In addition they want to finish testing for six months earlier than they’re allowed to return to competitors.

And talking on his podcast, former US Open champion Roddick believes the 23-time Grand Slam champion has made that call with a view to have the “option” of creating a comeback to skilled tennis on grass at Wimbledon, the place she is a seven-time winner.

“I don’t think as soon as you re-enter doping protocols – which happened six or eight months ago – you do that because you want the option of coming back, right? Maybe you don’t know if you’re coming back or not, but at the very least, you’re thinking really hard about it,” stated Roddick, a three-time Wimbledon finalist.

“And I know this isn’t a pragmatic decision. I’m sure there’s emotion. I’m sure there’s the champion’s mentality, ego and like, what if and all of this stuff. If you enter doping protocols, you’re looking to come back. Or at least you’re looking at the option to come back.

“Should you try this and also you’re Serena Williams, I obtained to assume, is she going to be quicker than when she left? I do not know. I imply, she appears in implausible form. And I feel you could possibly say her greatest likelihood of lightning in a bottle on this comeback is that it is on grass at Wimbledon.

“If she’s not sure in November and re-enters doping protocols, can she say I’m coming back? She can’t do anything quietly. She’s Serena Williams!”

“I think we’re going to see her play singles. And I do think the only thing that is a little bit of a doubles motivated thing – as her sister [Venus] is also not retired yet.

“So would you do it to your sister for one final run on the US Open or one thing like that? Sure. And I stated that eight months in the past. In order that’s the one caveat.

“I don’t think she plays only doubles at Wimbledon. I think she’s going to play singles. But I think there’s a half a chance she plays singles before that.

“I simply do not see at this level in her life the place she’s in her forties coming again. What number of pictures within the basket are you going to have in your greatest floor in singles once more, if that is your intent? I do not assume she will skip Wimbledon this yr in singles. I feel if you are going to come again, I feel you bought to go.

“At this point I’d be more surprised if she didn’t come back just to put a bow on it. I think we’re going to see her play professional tennis. I will put it in my veins. I want Serena back on the tennis court. That would be unbelievable. I hope it happens!”

Serena’s comeback?

Williams rubbished hypothesis in December she is contemplating a comeback regardless of re-entering the game’s drug testing pool, however the American was then not so dismissive in regards to the query in an interview on The As we speak Present in January.

Again then, she stated: “That’s not a yes or no. I don’t know. I’m just gonna see what happens.” Queen’s begins on Monday June 8.

The 44-year-old shut down rumours on X about making a tennis comeback after she registered with the game’s drug-testing physique, the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA) in December.

In a social media submit, Williams wrote: “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”

Williams’ older sister, Venus, returned to tennis in July 2025 on the age of 45 after virtually two years away from the tour, and she or he additionally by no means introduced her retirement.

On the 2025 US Open, Venus turned the oldest participant to play singles at a Grand Slam match since 1981.

Venus, a seven-time main singles champion, has spoken beforehand about wanting Serena to hitch her again on tour. They claimed 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a pair.

Williams, who performed her first skilled tennis match again in 1995, admitted the main motivation behind initially calling it quits three years in the past was her want to have a second baby.

She gave delivery to her second daughter in August 2023, having welcomed her first baby virtually six years earlier with husband Alexis Ohanian.

Nonetheless chasing Grand Slam title No 24

Williams was within the early phases of being pregnant with Olympia when she received the 2017 Australian Open, a victory that moved her to inside one Grand Slam singles title of Margaret Court docket’s all‑time report – a mark Novak Djokovic later equalled by successful the US Open in 2023.

She reached 4 extra finals on her return from maternity depart, two at Wimbledon and two on the US Open, however was overwhelmed in straight units on every event.

Williams, who received her first main title in 1999 on the US Open as a 17-year-old, informed Vogue in 2022 when she revealed plans to stroll away from tennis: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want [Court’s] record.

“The way in which I see it, I ought to have had 30-plus Grand Slams. I had my possibilities after getting back from giving delivery.

“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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