"Indian Wells starts around March 5th or 6th, and then Miami follows": Serena Williams comeback could happen sooner rather than later as Petkovic and Petchey speculate

While much of the global sporting conversation has centred around the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics, a potentially far bigger story may be quietly unfolding in tennis, the possible return of Serena Williams.

On the Big T Podcast, Mark Petchey and Andrea Petkovic discussed the news that Williams has made herself eligible to compete again from February 22nd, sparking excitement and speculation about what could come next.

Petchey made it clear he believes this is no casual move. “Everybody’s talking about the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics, but there is one story brewing that is way bigger than both of those combined, and that is, of course, the potential return of Serena Williams,” he said. "She is eligible to play from February 22nd this year. I personally am super excited about whatever plan she has. There’s no question there is a plan, something bubbling around in the background. What that is is going to be fascinating to see.

“In the same way we’ve spoken about great players being given the latitude to decide what they want to do, no matter how great the risk and fear of failure, she should be welcomed back with the sort of fanfare that a great deserves.”

Petkovic’s excitement was deeply personal. “I’m so excited. I think it’s no secret that Serena was always my favourite player,” she said. “When she won the US Open at 17 years old, I was 12 and sitting in front of the TV, well, not even live, because it was in the middle of the night in Germany and I wasn’t allowed to watch it. I watched the replay the next day. It was the best moment of my life.

“And then playing her was another crazy moment. I never beat her, but I played her five or six times. So I’m incredibly excited.”

The timing of Williams’ eligibility has only fuelled speculation. She is cleared to compete from February 22nd. The WTA event in Austin begins on February 23rd, while Indian Wells, officially the BNP Paribas Open, starts in early March, followed quickly by the Miami Open.

Petkovic had already examined the calendar.“Indian Wells starts around March 5th or 6th, and then Miami follows. So it’s definitely all in the schedule and within the realm of possibility for Serena Williams,” she noted.

Interestingly, Williams herself has not made any public declaration. The information came via the International Tennis Integrity Agency, ITIA, which released a document listing players eligible to return to competition following anti-doping suspensions. Among the names was Serena Williams, eligible from February 22nd.

“I searched the entire internet to see if she had said anything about it, but she has remained calm,” Petkovic said. “The only way we found out was through the ITIA document.”

The conversation then turned to how a comeback might look.

“If she’s going to do this, why wouldn’t you turn up at Indian Wells and Miami and play doubles with Venus?” Petchey suggested, referencing her sister, Venus Williams.

Petkovic pressed further. “Only doubles? Or do you think she’ll give singles a crack?” I hope she goes singles. I really want to see it,” Petchey replied. “I think it would be great for the sport. There’s no doubt that so many eyeballs would gravitate towards tennis.”

He believes her presence alone would lift the profile of the game. "It’s the same when Venus steps onto court. Everybody is looking at a legend of the sport. The longevity makes you question your own drive for perfection when you see people who have done everything and are still out there trying to compete at that scale.”

As for her level, Petchey sees little doubt about her ability to compete in today’s power-driven era. "Is her game scalable? There’s no question it’s still relevant, even in the power game. The real question probably isn’t whether she can do it for one day, I don’t think that’s in doubt, but whether she can put back-to-back matches together over the course of Indian Wells, or over two weeks at a major in singles. That’s the question that will eventually get answered.”

Perhaps the strongest indication that something meaningful is in the works lies in the anti-doping requirements. “You don’t put yourself back on the ITIA list if you don’t have a plan, not if you’re Serena Williams,” Petchey said. “There’s no point complicating your life to the degree required. You have to allow the authorities to know your whereabouts every minute of every day, otherwise you risk putting yourself in a very uncomfortable situation.

“Given her family life and everything else, I can’t see her putting herself in that position, to be monitored that carefully, unless she intends to come back and try to make something extraordinary happen.”

Petkovic agreed, explaining what that commitment truly involves. “It’s not just a matter of writing your name down and that’s it. She has put herself back into the testing pool, which means she has to submit every single location of her day to the anti-doping agency,” she said.

“They know exactly where you are at all times. And they can test you whenever they want, 5 a.m., 3 p.m., whenever. They just show up. So exactly as you said, if she’s putting herself through that, which is definitely an impediment to the comforts of your life, she is planning something big. And I personally can’t wait.”

For now, there has been no official announcement from Williams herself. But the pieces are aligning, the calendar is open, and the tennis world is watching.