"I'm NOT coming back": Bluff or not? Serena Williams denies reports of applying for ITIA testing pool

Serena Williams has publicly denied rumors about her potential return to the courts, after speculation circulated earlier in the afternoon. Journalist Ben Rothenberg had reported in the afternoon that Serena's name would appear in the ITIA’s Registered Testing Pool, suggesting evidence of a potential comeback.

Due to ITIA regulations, a player's return after retirement is not simple, as they must enroll in the pool, which allows the relevant authorities to conduct anti-doping tests for a period of six months before they can officially compete in a sanctioned tournament again.

Rothenberg reported on his outlet Bounces that the 23-time Grand Slam champion had allegedly applied to reappear in the drug testing system. Although Williams is still on the retirement list, the journalist mentioned that it would not become official until six months had passed.

The player, retired since 2022, had been seen training on a tennis court a few months ago, and a noticeable physical change has been observed on her social media over the past year, with her getting progressively fitter—which helped fuel the rumors that quickly spread on Tuesday afternoon.

However, the news did not last long. The former world No. 1, Serena Williams herself, published a brief message on her X account asserting that she will not be returning to the courts. “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy-“