Serena Williamswho retired from tennis in 2022, has re-entered the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s doping pool, a mandatory step for any player seeking eligibility for sanctioned tournaments.
His name appeared on the agency’s updated list of registered international testing groups, published on October 6. The move immediately sparked speculation on social media, with fans wondering if the 23-time Grand Slam champion was preparing for a comeback.
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Williams, who lives in Jupiter, Florida, is 44 years old.
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Is Serena Williams making a comeback?
Williams must be in the Test squad for six months before he can play again. But she said on social media that a return was not in the works.
“Oh my God, I am NOT coming back. This forest fire is crazy-” Williams wrote about.
In July 2025, her sister Venus won her first singles match in three years at age 45 at the Citi Open in Washington DC. She had not played a WTA Tour match in more than a year.
After the match, she hinted that Serena was coming out of retirement, noting that the two had been training together recently.
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Why is Serena Williams’ name in the drug testing pool?
It is unclear why Williams would apply to join the drug testing program, which requires her to provide her whereabouts and be available for testing, if she does not intend to play again. Williams’ team did not respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY Sports.
Williams’ re-entry into the doping pool was first reported by Athletics.
When was the last time Serena Williams performed?
Serena Williams at the US Open 2022 – the final tournament she played.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion has not played since the 2022 US Open. She announced in August of that year that she was “moving on” away from tennis, in part because she and her husband Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of the social media site. RedditI wanted to have more children.
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“Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don’t think it’s fair,” Williams wrote on August 9, 2022: essay in Vogue. “But I’ll be 41 this month, and something has to give.”
Serena Williams’ Postpartum Weight Loss Journey
Los Angeles Golf Club owners Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams applaud their team against New York Golf Club during the TGL semifinal match at SoFi Center on March 17, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Williams revealed in August that she lost 31 pounds after doing a GLP-1 medication, and credited the drug with finally helping relieve the joint pain she had been experiencing since the birth of her first daughter, Olympia, in September 2017.
“I’ve had a lot of knee problems,” Williams said during a appearance on the show “Today”. “Especially after I had my child (and) I was never able to get back to my normal weight. And that, frankly, definitely had an effect on maybe some wins that I could have had in my career.”
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Williams has immersed herself in various business ventures since stepping away from tennis. In an interview with Porter magazine, published Monday, she said not playing tennis was still “hard” but she missed it less than before.
“Not as much as this time last year,” she told the magazine. “No matter how prepared you are to retire, and especially after doing something every day at such a high level, it’s difficult. I definitely prepared as best I could, but it’s something that’s still a little difficult.”
How many children does Serena Williams have now?
Serena Williams currently has two children, daughters Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. (born September 2017) and Adira River Ohanian (born August 2023).
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Serena Williams lives in Palm Beach County
Serena Williams lives in a custom-built waterfront estate in Jupiter, Florida.
Previously, she and her sister Venus Williams, who still plays professional tennis, jointly owned a $2 million home on Grand Key Terrace in the BallenIsles community in Palm Beach Gardens.
Serena also owned a $2.5 million, two-story home with five bedrooms and five bathrooms at 7703 Bold Lad Rd. in the Steeplechase community near Palm Beach Gardens.
She also owns properties in Miami, Beverly Hills and Paris.
Diamond Walker is a journalist at The Palm Beach postwhich is part of the USA TODAY Florida network. You can reach her at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today
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This article was originally published on the Palm Beach Post: Serena Williams joins tennis tryout group, fueling comeback rumors
