Article by Remus Dinu – Published Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 10:21 / Updated Tuesday, February 10, 2026 10:31
American Serena Williams, former world number one for 319 weeks and winner of 23 Grand Slam tournaments, will be eligible to return to professional tennis from Sunday, February 22.
The BBC noted that Serena Williams, 44, appeared on the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) reinstatement list on Monday, meaning she can enter tournaments from February 22. Retired players may be reinstated and may return to official competition after making themselves available to the out-of-competition anti-doping testing program for a period of at least six months.
When she first heard about these things, Serena firmly denied, “I'm NOT going back. This rumor got out of hand.” She later refused to rule out a comeback outright in late January, telling the Today Show: “I don't know, I'll see what happens. I don't know if I've ever been out of the anti-doping program. Look, I can't discuss that. It's not a possible 'yes, I'm back in competition'.”
The American tennis player has undergone a major physical transformation, 4 years since she retired from tennis in 2022 after the US Open. Serena posed in the gym, displaying a toned abdomen, following the many kilos lost. The tennis legend did not look so fit even during the years when he was winning trophy after trophy.
In addition to her many singles titles, Serena was one of the best doubles players of the modern era, winning 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals with her sister Venus, 45, who still competes.
