Serena Williams adds to comeback as Wimbledon wildcard in her sights
WTAFriday, 05 June 2026 at 12:27
Serena Williams will not just be playing a one shot when it comes to her comeback as her second tournament has been announced albeit it was previously mooted as the one she would return at in the first place.
Williams will play at the Berlin Ladies Open beginning on June 15. She will play doubles with Canadian teenager and top 16 star Victoria Mboko at Queen's this next week in an event that will likely draw perhaps even more intrigue than a stacked women's draw.
It was announced on Friday that Williams will also play doubles at the Berlin Tennis Open which is the week after with a partner yet to be confirmed. “Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,” said the 23-time grand slam singles champion to berlintennisopen.com.
“I’m excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season.”
She never actually formally retired from the sport despite having her glittering farewell at the 2022 US Open, where she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic. She said she was 'evolving away' from tennis but never fully confirmed it was goodbye; it was more just insinuated. Venus Williams, her sister at 45, has continued to play, and likely the issue that befits Wimbledon in particular is if Serena decides suddenly that she wants to play singles.
Then you would have two Williams sisters vying for wildcards when the debate has often run rife about whether Venus Williams deserves them in the first place. She is already in London preparing for next week, with videos surfacing of her practicing with Mboko for their doubles tandem.
Williams would've comeback earlier - Davenport
Former World No.1 Lindsay Davenport mooted that Serena Williams not only wants to play singles likely but also that she would've come back earlier had it not been for the doping protocol.
“I’d heard last year at the US Open she wanted to play mixed (doubles),” said Davenport. “She wasn’t able to because of the drug-testing protocol.”
Teaming with Mboko in Queen's is Serena Williams.
Davenport also was glad to see that she can write her own final chapter and that she never really thought that she would fully walk away.
“I think it’s great. So many stories sometimes in our sport go negative. And I love that there’s an excitement about a player returning.
“It’s going to be great to see her back out there. Watching her walk off the court in New York, I really thought it was goodbye. Some players, you think, ‘oh, they might come back’, but I never thought that that would be the case.
“You have to think that she’s going to ease her way back into singles. Then all of a sudden it’s game on again for the grand slam race. So I’m here for it.”
The tennis icon returns! 💥 We can’t wait to welcome the legend herself @serenawilliams on our grass court! pic.twitter.com/mfRrkSm34W
— Berlin Tennis Open (@berlin_tennis) June 5, 2026
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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