Serena Williams denies returning to tennis despite registering for drug tests

Serena Williams has set the record straight following claims she was returning to professional tennis.

The mum-of-two insisted Tuesday, Dec. 2, that she had no plans to make a return to tennis after her registration with the sport’s drug-testing body sparked reports of a dramatic comeback.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has not competed since a third-round loss at the 2022 US Open left her one short of the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, held by Margaret Court in the women’s game and Novak Djokovic in men’s tennis.

“It is correct that she is back on the Registered Testing Pool list,” Adrian Bassett, a spokesman for the the International Tennis Integrity Agency, the sport’s drug-testing body told AFP in London on Tuesday in response to media reports the 44-year-old American had registered.

“At this stage we have no other information.”

However, Serena Williams took to X to deny she was planning a return to competitive tennis.

She wrote: “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy”.

Following her three-set defeat by Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic at Flushing Meadows three years ago, Williams said she did not want to use the word “retiring” but instead explained she was “evolving” away from tennis.

Players who decide to return to testing need to provide information about their time and locations when they are available to give samples.

They also need to complete testing for six months before they are allowed to return to competition.