Tennis stars rejoice as Serena Williams announces competitive comeback

The 44-year-old will return at the Queen’s Club Championships this month after receiving a women’s doubles wildcard entry.

Serena Williams has shaken up the tennis world by announcing her competitive return to the game after a nearly four-year absence.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner and mother of two said on Monday that she will compete in women’s doubles at this month’s Queen’s Club Championships in the United Kingdom, where media reported she will play with 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko.

The 44-year-old American great received a wildcard entry for the competition, which is seen as a warm-up for Wimbledon, the year’s third Grand Slam.

“I’m very happy. Me and Serena have stayed in touch, which is really, really nice because I really look up to her,” Mboko said at the French Open last week.

Williams ended months of speculation over a rumoured return with a cheeky social media video captioned: “Good news travels fast.”

Former world number one Lindsay Davenport said she believes Williams could make an appearance at her home Grand Slam, the US Open, in a couple of months.

“It seems like she’s trying to work her way up maybe to the US Open, and those fans would be so ready to see her back on a singles court there,” Davenport said.

Williams won seven Wimbledon titles and six at the US Open before stepping away from the game in 2022. In doubles, she won six titles at Wimbledon and two at the US Open – all with her older sister Venus Williams.

Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka, who beat Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open final for her first major title, was excited at the prospect.

“It will bring people to watch tennis,” Osaka said. “I’m going to be tuned in to 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.”

Osaka was joined by several current players in sharing their excitement at the news of Serena Williams’s return.

“She’s a legend. It’s inspiring to see,” top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka said at the ongoing French Open. “I’m excited to see her play and probably face her. … It’s very good news for tennis.”

Coco Gauff, who looked up to Serena Williams growing up, chimed in as well.

“One of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her,” the world number four said.

Fellow American and former champion John McEnroe suggested Williams could compete in singles at Wimbledon, which starts on June 28 .

“She’s not getting any younger, but she’s Serena Williams, so I bet you she would tell me about wanting to win the w