Serena Williams, 44, eligible to play pro tennis events Feb. 22

Field Level Media|published: Tue 10th February, 18:02 2026

Tennis legend Serena Williams, seen here waving to the crowd after losing the final match of her career to Ajla Tomljanovic 2022 U.S. Open tennis, has suffered two pulmonary embolisms — the first in 2011 and the second in 2017 after the birth of her first child. She was able to return to competition both times but has also said that she needs to be vigilant for the rest of her life when it comes to early detection of blood clots.

Whether or not tennis great Serena Williams is considering a comeback, the 23-time Grand Slam champion is now eligible to return as soon as Feb. 22.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency included Williams, 44, on the updated list of reinstated players on Tuesday. That was the last step in a process that began at least as far back as Oct. 6 when her name appeared in the International Registered Testing Pool, a requirement for a return to competition.

Being in the pool and available for random, out-of-competition drug testing for at least six months is a requirement for players who want to return to tennis. Players in the pool are required to inform testers of their location for one hour each day.

"Omg yall I'm NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy," Williams posted on social media in December in response to a report of a possible comeback.

As recently as last month, Williams was noncommittal either way.

"I'm just having fun and enjoying my life right now," she said on the "Today" show in January. "I'm just going to see what happens."

Williams last played on the WTA Tour at the U.S. Open in 2022. In August of that year, she announced in a Vogue magazine article that she was "evolving away" from tennis.

"I have never liked the word retirement," she wrote. "It doesn't feel like a modern word to me. I've been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people. Maybe the best word to describe what I'm up to is evolution."

If Williams does return, she could seek to enter the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, a WTA 250 tournament from Feb. 23 to March 1. Williams' older sister, Venus, is still active on tour and received a wild-card entry for both singles and doubles. She had not announced a doubles partner.

Ranked No. 1 for 319 weeks, Serena Williams won 73 singles titles on the WTA Tour and earned nearly $95 million in prize money. She won Wimbledon and the Australian Open seven times each, the U.S. Open six times and the French Open three times.

Williams, who also won 14 major doubles titles with Venus, is the only player to accomplish a career Golden Slam (all four majors) in both singles and doubles.

Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, are raising two daughters.

--Field Level Media

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