Serena Williams is reportedly in discussions to make a stunning return to professional tennis at Queen’s Club next month.
Rumours have been rife of a potential comeback for the 23-time grand slam champion since it was revealed last December that she had re-entered the anti-doping programme – a prerequisite to play on the tour again.
She immediately tried to dismiss the idea but the Served podcast, hosted by former world number one Andy Roddick, who is a good friend of Williams, reported on Thursday morning that a return was imminent.
The podcast claimed that the 44-year-old is set to play doubles with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s beginning on June 8, with the Daily Telegraph also reporting that she has requested a doubles wild card.
The Lawn Tennis Association, which runs the event, declined to comment while a Wimbledon spokesperson said the All England Club will hold a meeting to decide wild cards, with the first batch announced in the week of June 15.
Mboko all but confirmed the news after her second-round win at the French Open late on Thursday evening, saying: “I’m very happy.
“Me and Serena have stayed in touch, which is really, really nice, because I really look up to her. The fact that she even knows me, it’s very exciting.
“I want to kind of let the moment (be) for her. I feel like, if she’s ready to come back on her own terms, then I feel like it’s up to her to announce that.”
Williams has not played a match since a glittering farewell at the US Open in 2022, although she pointedly did not say she was retiring, instead describing it as “evolving away” from tennis.
She gave birth to her second daughter the following year and has recently talked about the large amount of weight she has lost.
If Williams does make her return in Britain, it will be one of the biggest sport stories of the year, with speculation that the seven-time Wimbledon champion could also look to play singles.
Asked whether the news is good for tennis, Naomi Osaka said: “I don’t really care about tennis. I think it’s good for me. I’ll be very entertained.
“I think it will bring people to watch tennis, which she always does bring an audience with her. So I think it’s good.
“I’m going to be tuned into the first match, for sure. I think a lot of people are. Everyone knows Serena and Venus were my role models growing up, so it’s going to be cool to see her on the grounds again.”
Coco Gauff is hoping to get the chance to face Serena, saying: “I did say one of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her.
“Everybody has been hearing rumours and stuff. So, if they are true, I guess we’ll find out in a couple days based off the rumours. We’ll see, but I think it would be cool for this sport to have a legend back playing.”
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