Serena Williams' tennis comeback confirmed with 44-year-old to compete in UK imminently

Serena Williams' tennis comeback confirmed with 44-year-old to compete in UK imminently Serena Williams retired as one of the greatest ever tennis players of all time, but at the age of 44, she will be coming out of retirement to compete Serena Williams is set to make her long-awaited comeback to competitive tennis at London's Queen's Club next week, at the age of 44. The 23-time Grand Slam champion "evolved away" from tennis at the 2022 US Open. However, she decided to re-enter the anti-doping testing pool late last year, which is a mandatory requirement for players seeking to return from retirement. When she retired, she did so having accumulated seven Australian Open titles, three French Opens, seven Wimbledon titles and six US Opens. In doubles, she also won three Olympic gold medals, four Australian Opens, two French Opens, six Wimbledon titles and two US Opens. Williams will return to the spot to compete in the doubles event at the WTA 500 tournament at Queen's. In a press release, the LTA said: "23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams today announced her return to professional tennis, with her comeback to the sport to take place this summer at the HSBC Championships in London." Williams' return was first hinted at last week on Andy Roddick's Served podcast, with reports suggesting the former world No. 1 had been eyeing a comeback on grass and would partner top-10 player Victoria Mboko in the doubles at Queen's. Mboko kept her cards close to her chest when quizzed about the matter during the French Open, but Williams' stunning return was officially confirmed on Monday. The 44-year-old shared a teaser video across her social media channels alongside Nike, captioning it: "Good news travels fast." The LTA subsequently confirmed Williams had been awarded a doubles wildcard at the WTA 500 event, though stopped short of revealing her partner. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page The American tennis icon said: "Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter. Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages." Tournament director Laura Robson, a retired former British No. 1, said: "Serena Williams is one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen, and we're delighted that she will be making her return to tennis at the LTA's HSBC Championships. "Women's tennis made a historic return to The Queen's Club last year, and now we have an icon of the game stepping back on to court at this prestigious venue - it's very exciting for the tournament and the fans." WTA Chair Valerie Camillo also welcomed the 23-time Major winner's forthcoming comeback, saying: "Serena is one of the greatest athletes of all-time, with a legacy that extends far beyond the court. Her return is an expression of her passion for competition, and I cannot wait to see her face a new generation of top players. "Serena is not just a great champion. She's a successful entrepreneur, a powerful advocate for the issues that matter - and one of the most iconic women in the world. We are thrilled to welcome her back to the WTA Tour at this hugely exciting moment for women's tennis." Martina Navratilova added: "Serena brought the game to another level and it is incredible for the sport that she's pushing the boundaries and coming back. To many of the younger players, they never had the opportunity to play her; some may have never watched her on television so this will be a new and exciting experience." Williams is widely anticipated to partner Mboko on court. Last week, the Canadian tennis star was pressed on speculation that the pair would be competing in doubles together, but remained tight-lipped. "Me and Serena have stayed in touch, which is really, really nice, because you know, I really look up to her. I mean, the fact that she even knows me is very, it's very exciting," she laughed. "I think for me I want to kind of let the moment for her. I feel like if she's ready to come back on her own terms, then I feel like it's up to her to announce that, but other than that, I can't really - I don't really have much to say. Yeah, I think the moment is all up to her, and when she's ready to come back, yeah, it's up to her." With Williams poised to make her comeback on the grass courts of Queens', she will undoubtedly have her sights set on a spot at Wimbledon, where she is a seven-time former singles champion and six-time doubles winner. The All England Club will convene to consider wildcard applications, with successful recipients due to be revealed during the week commencing June 15. 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