Serena Williams is set to return to competitive tennis after almost four years away from the sport. The 44-year-old will play doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London, where women’s qualifying begins on June 6, before the main draw starts on June 8.
Williams never formally announced her retirement, instead saying in 2022 that she was “evolving away from tennis.” Her last match came at the 2022 US Open, where she lost to Ajla Tomljanović. Now, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is preparing to begin what she called her “next chapter” on grass, a surface where she has enjoyed some of the biggest moments of her career.
The comeback follows months of speculation after Williams reentered the international testing pool in late 2025, a step required before returning to competition. She has been given a wildcard into the Queen’s Club doubles draw with Victoria Mboko, though it remains unclear whether she will also compete at Wimbledon.
Indeed, when the average person retires from the workforce, they’re usually out for good. But for stars in sport, music, and entertainment in general, retirement is not always so final. Curious? Click on to meet the stars who returned after they “retired.”