Serena Williams has revealed her return to professional tennis through a pair of Nike advertisements released earlier this month. The 44-year-old, who last played at the 2022 US Open, used the campaigns to confirm her comeback without a traditional press statement.
The first ad, posted on June 2, showed Williams on a tennis court receiving notifications on her phone. It ended with her saying she needed to change her number after the news spread. A follow-up video featured LeBron James in a room of people pitching a movie about a farewell. James called Williams, who confirmed she was back on court, prompting him to declare that the GOAT was back. Williams has accepted a wildcard to play doubles at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London alongside Victoria Mboko. Wimbledon is scheduled to begin on June 29. She had denied a return as recently as December 2025 while in the ITIA anti-doping pool for six months. Williams said conversations with people close to her changed her mind, and she wants her children to see her play again.
